Daniel X: Game Over
by Sakura Martinez
Summary: Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him. DanielxDana.
1. Chapter 1

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**  
by **Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

It's been a while since I last wrote anything for and right now, I'm addicted to one of the many books that I have been reading. It is, of course, Daniel X, written by James Patterson. I decided to write this fanfic to pass time while waiting for the release of the fourth book in the series, Daniel X: Game Over, from where the title of this fanfic was based. I tried to write it in a way that James Patterson usually writes his Maximum Ride and Daniel X novels. I have to note that Daniel is a little bit different here than before but I am trying to keep his character in-tact.

This is my first time to write a Daniel X fanfiction, and one that is in the first person POV. I hope you would find this to your liking. This is, of course, a Daniel-Dana fanfic.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter One**

* * *

There are only a few things in this world that could really, _really_ surprise me. Most of them are Alien Hunter stuff like an Alien suddenly jumping at me from out of nowhere (I'll get to that later) or me getting some kind of new power (more on that later, too). Of course, there are instances when normal humans-ordinary earthlings-have surprised me, too. Like when they step up to the plate and put the fate of their town (or their planet) in their own hands. I've met a girl like that while I was fighting against a freaky catfish-slash-electronics Alien, Number 5 on the List, back in Holliswood. Of course, the surprise that I had felt when I saw Judy(see above description) running with an Alien-technology weapon ready to bust Alien butts (and heads) was nothing like the surprise that I was feeling now. When that particular surprise is a kind of pleasant surprise (emphasis on 'a kind of'), this surprise was more on the you-have-got-to-be-freaking-kidding-me kind. No, scratch that. Maybe this was more like a horrifying you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me kind (emphasis on 'horrifying'). After all, there's nothing more horrifying (for me, at least) than to be strapped in a cold, metallic chair with wires connected to my body and my powers completely drained and useless. Granted, I have been captured a number of times and have almost died a couple of times, but this was the first time in my short life that I was placed in such a predicament. I mean, give me a prison cell without any windows any day. I would rather have that than this.

I'm getting ahead of myself. You're probably wondering who I am and what the heck I'm talking about. Well then, let's first start off with an introduction.

My name is Daniel. Most people (and I'm talking about 'people' who _**do not**_ want me dead) call me Daniel, or Danny. Aliens (those 'people' who _**do**_ want me dead) know me as the Alien Hunter, Daniel X. Yes, you read that right. I'm a sixteen-year-old Alien Hunter—as in someone who hunts and eradicates evil creatures from outer space who are living in Earth causing all sorts of mayhem and problems. Yep, that kind of Alien Hunter. Those Aliens are on what I like to call "The List" and are ranked based on how dangerous they are. I don't know how long the List is. I've never actually tried scrolling down to the very bottom of it. But the toughest and most dangerous Alien of all is ranked Number 1-and he is the Alien I am itching to get my hands on, and not just because I want to make your world, Earth, a peaceful place (although that is one of the reasons, being one of your planet's Guardian and all that) but also because I want to have my revenge on Number One—The Prayer, who killed my father and mother, and my sister, Brenda (affectionally known as 'Pork Chop') when I was just three-years-old. You can imagine how much damaged that did to my poor, young-self.

Some people may think that it's cool being an Alien Hunter and all that. It is cool, if you don't think much of the dangers involved with my job. Of course, that's not the all. I'm an Alien too. An Alien with incredible powers of creating things from my imagination (though it requires me to concentrate and I can only create them in a limited amount of time) and time travelling (although I haven't actually mastered it yet and I'm not exactly looking forward to time travelling all that much), not to mention that I also have incredible strength, speed, and stamina. So, if I'm an Alien, why am I helping your planet out? Well, not all Aliens are bad (though at my stay here on your planet, I have only met a couple of them who aren't bad-which, of course, includes me). I'm an Alien from the Planet Alpar Nok where people grow up to be Protectors of various worlds (yes, you're planet isn't the only planet in the entire universe that houses life forms)...or maybe I should say the planet where people _used to_ be trained to become Protectors.

Yep, used to, as in, not anymore. You see, a couple of years ago this Alien, Number Six (aka Ergent Seth) decided to colonize, pulverize, and completely eradicate me and my kind. They didn't get everyone of the inhabitants of Alpak Nor, though, but they did manage to destroy my beautiful home planet—a place that I've only been to once in my life (and that was when I was captured by Ergent Seth). Many people died when Ergent Seth attacked our planet, and that included my _drang—_my friends, who were then only little kids. Now, I'm the only Alien Hunter from Alpak Nor (that I know of anyways).

So, that's me in a nutshell. Whether you believe me or not, well, that's entirely your choice.

Anyways, this particular story starts a couple of days ago when I was with my friends: Emma, our self-proclaimed environmentalist, extreme animal-lover, and vegetarian; Willy, the combat-slash-weapons-slash-machine expert; Joe, the most talkative and the heaviest eater in our small group; and, of course, Dana, the most beautiful, kindest, and overall perfect, girl of my dreams. They're part of my _drang_. Yes, the same _drang_ that got killed during Ergent Seth's rampage on Alpak Nor. They're with me because, well, I need them and because I can (like I've told you before) recreate them from my memory. Don't get me wrong, they're not like those shadowy things that are intangible, believe me when I say that you'd be having a hard time believing they were dead the way they were acting and how they can touch and grab onto stuff. They can also talk and think for themselves so, sometimes, even I forget that they're just a part of me—a part of my imagination and my memory.

We were cruising through the streets of Shinjuku (yes, we are in Japan) on our black, Honda Fit (courtesy of yours truly). Emma and Willy were arguing like brother and sister (which they are, by the way) over whether or not Shinjuku's a cool place to live (Emma's arguing about how polluted it is while Willy was stating how the stores were cool and interesting), Joe-Joe was, as usual, stuffing his mouth with tempura and sushi-all three of them were at the back of the car while Dana sat shotgun reading Japan's Travel Guide. As for me? Well, I was stuck with driving through the crowded streets of the world's busiest train station, and apart from Dana sitting beside me, there was nothing I liked about it. It was noisy, crowded, and polluted.

So, what were we doing here in Japan? Well, I recently found out that this is where Number Two was hiding. Well, not exactly here in Shinjuku but somewhere in Japan. So, me and my friends have been trying to find where in Japan exactly this second most notorious Alien on the List is. You'd think that after a week of going from one district to another we would have found clues to Number Two's whereabouts. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

"This is getting frustrating." I groaned as we were once again caught in another traffic jam, I was barely keeping myself from banging my head on the steering wheel. Why, may I ask, is there so many cars here if this is supposed to be the busiest train station in the world? Shouldn't these people be boarding on and off trains instead of cars? Geez!

Dana took her eyes off of the Travel Guide for a while to look at me, her eyes—blue ones—were glinting and her mouth curved into a smile. Her blond hair, which had grown longer over time, was tied in a loose ponytail. "We can always walk."

You can imagine how that idea had been shot down as soon as it was conceived, as everyone (including me) all yelled, "No!"

She frowned at that, "Why not? We can go sight-see while we're here." She then held up the Travel Guide and dangled it in front of me, "Look, they have all these wonderful places we can visit: The Meiji Shrine, the Shinjuku Central Park, the National Museum of Nature and Science, plus there's a whole lot of places to eat—even Joe-Joe would be happy."

What she said...well, that got the gang thinking. I could almost see the gears in their head turning (figuratively, of course. I may have a couple of special skills, powers and talents up my sleeves but x-ray vision is, sadly, not one of them) as they weigh their options. And let me tell you, they were leaning on Dana's little suggestion.

I gave Dana one of my blank stares and my 'you've got to be kidding me' look. Don't get me wrong. I like Dana. I adore her. Like I've said she's my dream girl-everything I want in a girl, well, Dana's it. Back when I didn't know that my four friends have actually existed, I have thought that Dana was just another fragment of my imagination and that the feelings I had for her were pretty much one-sided. When I learned that she actually existed, and that she really was real but had died, well, that pretty much bummed me so much. If you think about it, falling for a pigment of your imagination—even if said pigment was as beautiful and had been real as Dana was-it's still pretty weird. Yep, even for an Alien Hunter and an Alien like me. But lately, things have been different between us. So much different. Thinking back I guess it must have really changed back when I had kissed her when Beta was trying to roast us alive inside a car (I won't go into details with that).

The memory of the kiss made my cheeks burn, and let me tell you Daniel X rarely (and I do mean that) blushes! I quickly turn my head and faced the road, just in time to accelerate the car forward as the traffic seem to have untangled itself a bit. A little bit. But it was still a welcoming distraction.

"Alright, I'm all for it." Emma was the one who caved in to Dana's suggestion. "I always wanted to go to a museum. We've never been in one before, right?"

"Me too. Well, not on the museum part." Joe said as he tossed an empty can of soda (not outside the car, mind you, we are not a fan of pollution). "I want to eat all of the different kinds of food that the Japanese people have to offer."

"Oh, come on, Joe!" I said shaking my head and staring at him through the rear-view mirror. "You just ate!"

"So?" Joe raised an eyebrow at me. It was as if that answer was enough...well, okay. Since this was Joe we're talking about, that answer is kind of enough. But still...

"Why are you so against this, Daniel?" Dana asked, she sounded irritated and when I looked at her, she looks irritated as well.

"Because we're here on a mission. To find Number Two." I answered a-matter-of-factly. True, I usually am one of the easy-going members of the group but I know I have to focus. We've already made too many mistakes in the past and have just about experienced a whole lot of near-death…err…experiences. "The sooner we get to Number Two, the sooner we can find clues about the Prayer, and the sooner that we get to the Prayer, the sooner I get to dish out some massive payback."

"But we are searching for Number Two, Danny." Emma said, "We're just going to go through a bunch of really cool, really interesting, and highly educational tourist spots while we're at it."

I saw Dana and Joe nod at that little speech of hers. I could have clapped them out of existence if I could (which, I usually could) but lately, that little trick seems to have been slipping from me. I could no longer control when they appear and disappear. It was like they've...evolved. They appear whenever they want and disappear in just about the same manner. Thankfully, my mom, dad and Pork Chop haven't seem to have gotten a 'level up', otherwise, it would be pandemonium.

Don't get me wrong, I love my family. But when it comes to high-level, single-digit ranked Aliens on the List, well...mom and dad aren't exactly ecstatic about me jumping in and eradicating evil Aliens for the benefit of mankind. As for Pork Chop, well, she's my little sister and she can just be so damn annoying.

I took a look at Willy who, up until then, hadn't said a word regarding Dana's suggestion. When he saw me looking at him, he shrugged and gave a little smile. "Sorry, man. I'm with them on this one."

And that was how we ended up walking around Shinjuku's National Museum of Nature and Science with Emma practically beaming at everything and anything in sight. Her smile was actually blinding and being such a nature-loving, earth-loving Alien, I guess I understand why museums like this would actually make her feel like she was in heaven. Me? Well, I was pretty much frowning. I'm usually a pretty easy-going guy but, there was just something in the air, some nagging feeling in the back of my head and in my gut, that was telling me that this was a bad idea.

"Relax." I heard Dana whisper to me as Emma dragged Willy and Joe off to another part of the museum. She was acting like a little kid at a toy store and not like the sixteen-year-old Alien from Alpak Nor that she was.

"I am perfectly relaxed." I told Dana, although I did look from left to right taking in everything in sight as I did.

"Yeah, and I'm a perfectly normal human girl." She snorted and I saw her even rolling her eyes at me. I looked at her frowning but I wasn't able to say anything since she went on and said, "I know you, Danny. And this...right now? This is you **not** being relaxed...at all."

I sighed. I wasn't sure any more if Dana was just acting out what I imagined or if this was part of her "leveling up"—thinking for herself, acting for herself, being entirely herself with no help from me (other than my powers basically bringing them into the real world with them being dead and all). Which was why I didn't know if commenting on how well she knows me would be a good thing to say.

"So, what is this really about, Danny?" She pressed on.

I veered off into a different direction, walking towards one of the wooden benches that were currently unoccupied. Dana followed me silently and as soon as we were there, I plopped down on the bench and motioned for her to join me.

"So?" She asked, once we were seated, the sun's rays from the open roof beaming on us making her blond hair glow and making them look like a halo around her head.

"Something's not...right." I told her, not really sure what I'm supposed to say after that. I didn't know how I was going to explain it to her. I've never felt as wired and jumpy as I do now and it freaked me out more than anything. "I don't know what it is, but I do know that something's amiss."

"Maybe you're just stressed." She ventured. "It's only been, what? A couple of months since the fight with Beta?"

"2 months, 4 days and 12 hours." I told her and grinned when I got an expression of disbelief out of her. "I guess you're right...but still..."

Just then, Dana placed her hand on top of my own and I felt my hand tingle. Like an electric current suddenly passed through it. I tried to ignore it. After all, this wasn't the first time that Dana had touched my hand, or my arm. "Just relax. Nothing bad's going to happen. I doubt Number Two would know that we're here in Japan anyway."

Oh, boy... How wrong Dana was about that one for just as those words escaped her mouth did the sights and sound of people screaming and running for their lives filled the air.

We both stood up and looked around, searching for what was causing all that commotion as well as for the rest of our friends. It didn't take long for me to spot Emma, Willy and Joe running towards us. In a couple of seconds, we were all together again.

"What's going on?" I asked just as I heard the sound of explosion and of glass breaking.

"We don't know. We just heard the screaming and then the panicking." Emma told me.

"I think it's safe to assume that the baddies had come out to play." Joe added. I nodded at that assumption. It was always like that. They could find us—at least the high-level ones. How were they doing that? More importantly, what the heck's attacking the museum?

It was then that I heard them—the thoughts of the people who had emerged from the eastern side of the museum, their faces were painted with horror, not to mention caked in white powder that could only have come from falling debris.

They were all thinking in Japanese, of course, but thanks to my special abilities, I was able to understand them as if they were talking in plain English.

"_Hurry!"_

"_Run for your lives!"_

"_Robots are attacking! Ahhh!"_

Either I was hearing it wrong, or should I say translating it wrong, but that last thought…Did that guy just mention robots attacking?

Before I could try to read more of the other people's minds, I heard a loud crashing noise behind me. I whirled around, and so did my friends and we all gasped in a mixture of surprise. There, standing behind the large, gaping hole on the wall were a dozen or so large-muscled, stone-faced human-looking things that looked as if they came straight out of the Terminator movies.

From behind us, where the first explosions occurred, I heard more of these things march in. I tried reading their thoughts—something that always pays off when you're confronted with things that want to kill you. Unfortunately, I couldn't read any of their thoughts. No matter how hard I tried, their minds were blank.

As soon as they saw us, they began chanting. Their voices were like grinding metal and it made us all cringed. They were all saying one thing, though.

"Daniel X. Destroy Daniel X." Go figure.

"Willy, I got a question for you." I whispered, not taking my eyes from the looming threat. I saw Willy nod from my peripheral vision, and so I went on to ask despite knowing what the answer was going to be, "How do you deal with crazed robots who seem to be out to get you?"

"Short them?" Willy answered. "Machines don't do well with water."

I nodded and grinned. "Well then guys, time to get wet and wild!"

And that was all I have to say for Willy, Emma, Joe and Dana to go into battle mode. Five against a dozen of Terminator-look-alikes is pretty bad. But hey, we're Aliens and we're also Alien Hunters, plus I have a few tricks up my sleeves.

The thing about having the ultimate power—the power to create—is that you can create things. But, like I've said, I need to be concentrating. That was why I was letting my friends do all of the fighting for now while I try to envision and create a fire hydrant. A huge fire hydrant with unlimited water supply.

You would have thought that that was enough. But no matter how powerful Willy, Emma, Joe and Dana's attacks were against these droids, nothing happened. None of the droids buckled. There weren't even a dent on their human-skin-like appearance. And let me tell you, my _drang_ packs a super-human mean punch.

"What are these things made of?" Groaned Joe-Joe as he jumped a few feet away from one of the Terminator-dudes after giving it an uppercut that would have knocked the bejeezus out of Mike Tyson.

"Not any metal from earth, that's for sure." Willy shouted as he landed near Joe-Joe. I saw him fish something out of his pocket before he went on to shout, "Everyone that's not made of metal, duck!"

Willy then threw something up in the upcoming group of robots, who seem to have been programmed to not care about anything other than, well, killing me. Dana and Emma followed Willy's instructions and backed as far away from the robots as they could. A second later, a small explosion occurred. Did I mention that Willy's our weapon's expert? A bomb, counts as a weapon, doesn't it?

Of course, that explosion caused me to lose concentration as a robot arm whacked me at the back of my head.

"Hey! Watch it!" I shouted, rubbing the back of my head and searching for any lumps or blood.

"Danny, forget the creating thing." Willy shouted over at me as he threw another bomb into a group of robots. "They're not so tough once you use an XP312 Bomb on them!"

_XP3-what?_ I was about to ask but decided to go against it. I may be smart but there are a couple of things—particularly things that Willy had invented, like that bomb—that I know of.

Another explosion rocked our world. But it seems that no matter how many of these dudes we—or should I say Willy's bomb—managed to destroy, more kept on coming. What? Is there some kind of robo-factory underneath this museum?

"Fight or flight?" I heard Dana ask me while my mind was wondering if these were Number Two's goons.

I looked over at her and saw that, like everyone, she was covered in soot as well. Not only that but I could hear the sound of sirens not far off in the distance. We can't, under any circumstance, be caught by the authorities. And so, in the end, it was really a no-brainer.

"Flight." I told my _drang_.

We were almost out of the museum through one of the large holes on the wall courtesy of the robot troupes when the worst thing that could happen to me happened.

I was shot. And it only took a couple of seconds for me to lose my consciousness. The last thing I heard was Dana's voice shouting my name, and the last thing I saw was the horror-struck look on her face.

And that is how I found myself in this predicament: chained to a metallic chair in a room filled with alien computers and technology with wires attached to my body and a metallic headband wrapped around my head where more tubes and wires were connected.

I tried wriggling free, no good. I tried conjuring my friends, no good. I tried to shape shift into a small animal—a tick, an insect, anything (I can do that, you know)—no good.

I was stuck here, wherever 'here' was, without any means of escape and without my powers. Does it suck? Yeah, big time.

Of course, I should have expected that there was a lot more in-store for me, because if I had expected that, I would have at least been prepared for what happens next.

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that is all for the first chapter of my first Daniel X, First POV fanfic.

What do you guys think? I know, I know...most of the characters are acting a little bit different from their book-selves. I guess this is somewhat of an AU then? Meh, I don't know. But I do hope you enjoyed reading the first chapter. I was so bummed when I saw that there aren't that many Daniel X fanfics and fanfics that were featuring Daniel and Dana, so I decided to write one. It's what they say, if you can't find something that you want to read, then write it (can't recall who actually said that, though).

Anyways, I'm going to need someone to beta-read the future chapters, so if anyone's interested. Just tell me.

That's about all for this chapter. Don't forget to review and I'll try to answer your reviews as best that I could (that's my FFN resolution, XD).

Peace out!

~ Sakura Martinez


	2. Chapter 2

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**  
by **Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Here's the second chapter of this fanfic. This is a bit shorter than the previous chapter but I do hope you guys enjoy them. I know, it doesn't sound interesting yet but believe me, it would soon be.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Two**

* * *

The sound of grinding metal echoed in the small room where I was being held, followed by the hissing sound of smoke and air. Before I knew it, a door which I haven't noticed (and who can blame me in my still groggy state?) suddenly opened.

I tensed. I felt it. An alien was near and I was pretty sure I'm going to see a grotesque-shaped creature lumbering its way to me. Aliens are always like that-grotesque-looking. Well, except for me and my friends. We look exactly like you guys. But most of the bad guys we had to deal with were strange and ugly looking creatures whose parents are perhaps the only people in the whole universe who would argue and say otherwise. And so, I had prepared and steeled myself in facing my captor-rehearsing lines that would make my captor think twice about messing with me and would hide the fact that I was powerless and weak (if they didn't know that already). Let's face it, under the current circumstance, my words are the only weapons I have against the creeps from outer space.

So, you can probably imagine the look on my face when I finally saw who was behind my abduction, and those robo-dudes that attacked us back at the museum. Nope, it wasn't a grotesque, mean-looking, puke-faced, beyond-this-world-hideous-looking alien. It wasn't even ugly-looking. The alien whom I was facing looked utterly 100% human. Well, a human who could have looked like a Hollywood Star complete with the designer clothing, shades, clean cut hair and a smirk that clearly says he was enjoying having me for a prisoner.

The human-looking-alien was a guy. A guy who looked younger than I was. 12-years old? 13? I'm not sure, but I do know that he wasn't a sixteen-year-old. He has a tanned skin, spiky-black hair, a perfectly pointed nose, shinny-white teeth and wearing an all-black getup. Like an emo or something. Black boots, black pants, black shirt and a black, leather jacket. He didn't look dangerous or intimidating but I have learned that looks can (and always were) deceiving. Take me for example.

"We finally meet, Daniel X." The Hollywood Star-looking emo-kid said, the smirk that was on his lips never left. "I had hoped that you would be awake by now. How do you like the accommodations?"

"I've been to better places than this." I retorted as I tried to piece the pieces together. Is he part of secret organization for humans that were tracking aliens and taking them as prisoners whether they were Alien Hunters like _moi_ or evil aliens that are out to decimate the whole Terra Firma.

I tried reading his mind, but I couldn't. Something was blocking me. I don't know if my mind reading was also suffering from my grogginess and my lack of ability to create or if this guy's mind is well protected. I can't really ask him about that and so I, instead, went to say, "Don't mean to be rude but who the hell are you?"

The kid didn't bother answering my question as he walked around, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Do you really think that Number Two would not notice your presence? You're underestimating us, Daniel." The kid said. Well, that certainly answers whether this kid was a mini-mad scientist or one of Number Two's hoodlums. Still a kid? Are Number Two's minions kids? But then...he said 'us'. "We're stronger than you think, Daniel. Number Three? Number Five? Their all wussies compared to us. And let me tell you, I'm really disappointed with how easy we managed to put you down. I mean, come on! A little challenge would have been welcomed. But, no. One tranquilizer shot to your neck and you're down. That's pathetic."

"You know what's even more pathetic? You've got caught by someone who isn't even a singular digit alien. Me." He went on lecturing. That last bit cleared any thoughts of who this kid was. So, he wasn't human. He said so himself. He's an alien. An alien who looks like a human or an alien who's taking control of a kid's body? That's something I'm still waiting for him to spill. "You know what else, I'm even expecting you to be struggling right about now, trying to fight your way out of here. Maybe I'll just add that to one of the other disappointments that you've shown me."

"Who says I'm not planning on escaping?" I said while making my voice sound confident, the fog was clearing from my mind and the grogginess had long disappeared. "Maybe I'm just waiting for you to let your guard down?"

The kid laughed, "Well, unfortunately, you don't have any time left. Too bad."

"So, you're planning to kill me now? Done with the experiments already?" I asked, bobbing my head towards the wires and the alien tech that surrounded us.

"That's an inviting thought. Although I would love to get this over an done with, Number Two's looking for some entertainment. And so am I." Chuckled the kid. I could see that he was amused. "Besides, I needed a guinea pig to test my latest invention. Might as well be you. I would certainly be killing two birds with one stone with that."

The kid then snapped his fingers. The sound echoed in the small, metallic room.

_He's calling for someone._ I knew that immediately. The question was: who? Could it be Number Two's here to gloat with this kid. Apparently, they haven't heard of how I had managed to escape from captivity (with or without my powers) time and time again. This kid's lecturing me about underestimating one's opponent when, clearly, he's doing the same thing to me. _Heh, what an idiot_.

The one who stepped into the room, the one who this kid (whoever he is) called wasn't Number Two, though. I was sure of that as soon as I saw who it was. Granted, it would have surprised me to see Number Two enter the room but I don't think it would be with the same intensity as I am feeling now. Because it wasn't Number Two, Number One, or any numbered alien out there that had arrived.

It was Dana.

My Dana.

My blue-eyed, blond-haired, fair-skin, beautiful Dana.

The Dana who is a part of my _drang_. The Dana who was what I envisioned was the perfect girl. The Dana who has been with me, although created from my memory and imagination, ever since I became the lone Alien Hunter and Defender of Terra Firma. The Dana who was killed by Ergent Seth when she was still a kid. _THAT_ Dana.

_No way. This has to be some sick joke. She can't be Dana.._.My throat felt dry. My eyes were wide when I saw her. Any thoughts that I may have prior to seeing her, flew out of my head. I was at a lost.

"You called, Lord Void?" Dana asked. She had the same voice as the Dana that I knew, she walked the same way, that it was impossible to continue to think that maybe I have gotten it wrong.

"Yes." The kid-the one Dana called 'Void'-said, "Are the preparations complete? I'm itching to get this show on the road."

Dana, or her look-alike, nodded. Her expression was placid and somewhat unreadable. There was no light in her eyes, it was like she wasn't really there. "Yes, everything is ready."

Void smirked and then took his attention away from "Dana" and towards me. "I hope you're ready, Daniel."

"Ready? For what?" I couldn't help asking. I hope I didn't look like I've seen a ghost-which, technically with "Dana" with him is what I did see. "What crazy alien scheme do you have in mind?"

"I wouldn't call it 'crazy'." Was what Void said before he looked back at "Dana", nodded and gave her the signal.

"Dana" walked towards the back of my metallic chair. I could hear the beep from a console as she inputted something. A code? An instruction for the machines and the wires that were connected to my body? I don't know. Maybe both?

Nothing happened for a while, until electricity began to flow from the wires towards my body. It wasn't like the electricity that had coursed through my body during the battle with Number Five. That particular electric current which came from the lightning didn't hurt as much as this one did. As much as I hate to admit it, I was screaming in pain and agony. My eyes were shut and I couldn't muster enough will to stop myself from screaming. The pain was intense.

Then, the pain was gone. And so was everything else. I had, once again, blacked out.

* * *

If crap have feelings, I would be feeling like one right now. Seriously, my whole body felt numb with pain. Nothing, not even having been shot by Ergent Seth could rival what I was feeling right now.

My head was swirling with all kinds of thoughts and I didn't bother to open my eyes. I know where I would still be, unless of course, I'm already dead-which, I don't think I am right now. Dead, I mean. Because, as far as I know, dead people-even aliens-can no longer feel anything. And, like I've said, I feel like crap.

A very confused kind of crap.

That can't be Dana, can it? She didn't look like she recognized him but, then again, she looked like she was being manipulated. I could remember the look, the blank look, in her eyes. I've encountered a couple of number of people who were under some mind-control and most of them had that look in their face. A look of someone's who's a zombie.

Can it be possible that Void and Number Two had captured my friends and put some mind control devices on them in hopes of breaking my spirit and making me feel worse before they could kill me? No, that can't be right too. Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe could appear and disappear by themselves now. They've gained that ability from who-knows-what. I was barely in control of them. If they were in trouble, and if they knew that they would be used against me, they certainly would have made themselves scarce rather than staying put.

A clone? But for a clone to be created they would have to have Dana's DNA, right? Dana's body was missing along with the bodies of Willy, Emma and Joe. They couldn't find their body after Ergent Seth bombed the school. Could it be possible that Number Two was around and that he-for the lack of a better term-fished my friends' bodies from under the wreckage of the school?

Maybe she's like one of those robo-dudes. Number Two must have learned about Dana and the others from where ever their intel about me was coming from and their using that knowledge against me. Yeah, that seems like the most plausible thing at the moment.

I sighed.

And then, I heard Void speak.

"How long are you going to lie there and do nothing, Daniel?" He sounded as though he was taunting me.

My eyes snapped open at the sound of his leering voice. And, for the third time (or so) that day (if it was still the same day, that is), I found myself gawking at surprise.

No, it's not because of Dana's look-alike. No, Void didn't reveal his true nature and turned out to be as hideous as I first thought my captor was. No, I didn't see Number Two or Number One.

What surprised me was the fact that I was no longer sitting on the damn metallic chair, strapped with wires poking from my body. I was lying on the ground and looking up to the dark sky with thin, green lines pulsating with light. Green light. I pushed myself off of my back and stared around. The same view greeted me. The whole place was a monotone of black and green lights that it somehow reminded me of that movie my friends and I had just watched. What was it called? Tron Legacy was it? Yeah, I think that's what it was.

"Welcome, Daniel X, to my world." Void's voice boomed and echoed around me. "Welcome to the Game."

"The...Game?" I asked, not entirely sure if I heard him right.

"Yes, the Game. It's a little something I have designed that would house your demise." Void spoke and I heard the canned laughter that followed. _Was he filming this? Maybe Void's an alien that's as much as a sicko as Number Five._

"Very creative, Voidy." I shook my head as I spoke. "I think Number Five may have tried something like this." I gestured around me, "Although I give you props for the whole 'game' concept. So, where are the cameras? You're trying to do it like Five did, right?"

"Puh-lease." Void said, I couldn't put a finger on what tone his voice was taking. "Five was an idiot trying to take you out by giving you such a big space to roam. Plus, he didn't think about the variables and the constants-including the things that he couldn't control. Here, in the Game, I control everything. Even what you can or cannot do."

I gave a 'Pfft' at Void's words. Yeah, right. As if he can do that.

"You don't believe me, Alien Hunter?" Void asked. He sounded...amused. "Why don't we start with the tutorial then."

As he said those words, the scenery before me started to change. To shift. Gone was the darkness and the green lights and the whole Tron Legacy look and feel of the place. I now found myself standing at what I could only call as an arena. Not the WWF or the boxing kind. I'm talking about the gladiator-kind. The Coliseum. The one that's supposed to be in Rome.

"What the-" But before I could utter the next word that would have completed that sentence, Void spoke once again.

"Surprised, Daniel?" He asked. I wanted to answer him with a 'duh' but thought the better of it. _Gotta look calm, cool and collected._ "Don't worry, there are plenty more surprises where that came from. After all, we have to make things interesting and entertaining...for everyone." He then clears his throat before he went on. "Welcome to the Arena. Here I'll give you the rundown on the rules while you experience what you might expect while in the Game."

Just then something materialized a couple of paces in front of me. It was one of the robo-dudes that attacked us at the museum in what felt like a lifetime ago. And it was heading straight at me while still chanting the same thing: Destroy Daniel X.

I tried to concentrate, to conjure some sort of weapon. But nothing happened. The thing-the robo-dude-was lumbering towards me with such a speed and having nothing else to do, I did what any sensible person would do. I ran. Fast.

Canned laughter erupted mixed with 'boos'. Yeah, as if that would change my mind and stop me from running. As if I cared about what these aliens wanted to see.

"Rule Number 1." Void's voice shouted over the canned sounds. "Your powers don't mean a thing in this world. You start off with only your basic abilities-enhanced strength and speed. Which means no conjuring of weapons, no calling of backup, and no transformations."

"What? That's stupid. You don't have any power over me and over what I can do." is what I said in retaliation.

"Ah, but in this world-in the Game-that's something I have control over." Void sneered.

I knew that he knew that I couldn't use my powers. I knew that he had seen my attempt. Was it possible that what he was saying is true? If that's the case then I'm pretty much dead. I only have Level 3 strength and speed and I'm pretty sure, judging from how useless the attacks of my friends have been, that I won't be able to do much with robo-dude.

"Rule Number 2." Void droned on. "You would only 'level up' when you gain enough experience. At the same time, you would gain new powers...or should I say regain your powers...as soon as you get the necessary experience. Experience comes from three things: defeating an enemy, solving a puzzle, or surviving an ordeal."

"That sounds like you copied it straight from a video game."I huffed. "Seriously, dude. Where's your creativity? Your originality?"

He didn't bother answering that. Huh, I guess he doesn't have anything to answer to that.

"Rule Number 3." Yep, he clearly chose to ignore what I had just said. "You only have three lives which will disappear if your health goes to zero. Once all three lives are spent, it would be game over."

"What the heck are you talking about?" I asked. "Lives? Health?"

"You can see the amount of health you have remaining on the top of your head." Void explained.

"Upper right of my what? What screen?" And as soon as I've asked that question, lo and behold, something appeared at the top of my head. It was a floating, thin piece of glass with 100 written on it in red. Underneath it are three heart-shaped icons. Guess that's my health and the number of lives remaining.

"Rule Number 4." Void continued. _Man, how many rules are there and when would the whole 'how to kill of the robo-dude that's trying to kill you' tutorial come?_ "Once it's Game Over, you're dead. And I do mean that literally. You can't escape the Game and run away from it. The only way to get out of here is if you manage to survive all the levels without getting a game over. Harsh, isn't it?"

The robo-dude suddenly launched a barrage of bullets at me. It managed to graze my right arm and I saw that the number on the glass screen above me dropped down by 5. I moved as quickly as I could while trying to get behind robo-dude, all the while he was spraying me bullets.

"Rule Number 5. Anything goes."

As if to prove a point, I found myself being dragged down by gravity. My body felt heavy and I didn't seem to be getting anywhere while robo-dude sauntered towards me. And then, when he was so close, time reverted back to normal and I found myself stumbling to the ground.

"I suggest you do everything in your power to survive, Daniel. And please, try to make your death an entertaining one."

And with that, the coliseum vanished and the robo-dude that was about to kill me with it.

Once again, I was standing alone and before me loomed a forest. An ominous and dangerous looking forest covered with fog. On the ground, I a short sentence, written and addressed to me.

"Welcome to the Void Game." It said.

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that is all for the second chapter of my first Daniel X, First POV fanfic.

Things will start to pick up some more pace next chapter and, although the third chapters is already in the works, I'm not going to spoil anything by telling you what to expect. I'm still looking for a beta-reader for this fanfic, though. So, like I've said before, drop me a line if you're interested.

Also, anyone has any ideas on what Number 2's real name could be? I'm open for suggestions. As you can see I'm kind of crappy with giving names to aliens. (Void is the "sanest" idea for an alien name that I could think of, lol). Well, that's that. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to give me a review, if you can.

Peace out!

~ Sakura Martinez


	3. Chapter 3

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**  
by **Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Ah, finally the third chapter. Thanks for the reviews and the hits to this fanfic. I'm not going to post a long Author's Note in this section and I'll just let you read this newest chapter. Happy reading!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Three**

**

* * *

**

I don't have a thing against forests. Not the forests in Terra Firma or the ones outside and beyond of it. Nature hasn't been much of a problem for me, and I mean that. I mean, come on, I've practically lived half of my life in the wild since it's hard for me to stay in one place for so long. But this particular forest that I found myself standing in the middle of? Well, I don't know what to make of it. I definitely don't like the ambiance of the place, that's for sure.

Death—my death in particular. That's what Void, and every one of my nemesis, are after. It was no surprise. I've managed to defeat quite a number of aliens and have made a name for myself as an Alien Hunter. But, I didn't do it all on my own. I had have some help—one way or another, whether I would have loved some help or not. Now, I found that I'm truly alone. No matter what I try to do, no matter how hard I concentrated, pushed myself, and begged (silently, of course), I couldn't get my friends, my parents, or even Pork Chop to appear. My powers were completely gone and I wasn't sure if it was because of what Void did to me—whatever that was—or because of something else. Something that I did not want to think about. Something that had gotten me worried ever since that battle with Beta.

I shook my head. _This is not the time to think about that_.

I looked around me once more.

When I first saw the forest with that welcoming sign, I had immediately seen a path. As there was no other way but forward, I took that path and trudged on. The forest is eerie. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a vampire or a werewolf suddenly jumping at me or attacking me. I wouldn't even have been surprised to see an old woman—a witch, maybe—who would offer me a bite out of a poisoned apple. Yeah, I know. Sometimes my imagination gets the better of me, and so does my train of thought especially whenever I'm humoring myself.

Anyways, the forest was dead creepy and dead quiet. You would have thought that there would be sounds of life—birds chirping, the sound of the wind on the trees and the grass, the sound of a rushing brook-any sound really, but there was none. Apart from the sound of my sneakers hitting on the ground and my own breathing. I continued on the linear path. There wasn't anywhere else to go. And even hours after I began walking in this bizzaro forest, I was still following the trail. The scenery never changing. The fog never lifting. And the silence never ebbing away. It was only two hours later that I realized that something was wrong. Okay, even more wrong than I know they were because it was then that I realized that I had been walking in circles.

"What the—?" Was my coherent thought for that particular scenario.

I looked back and forth, from the point where I had been walking from to where I was walking to and I couldn't see where the path bended to make me walk in circles. But the path was straight. I saw it and was sure of it. I decided to keep walking after making a dent on the path to see if I was indeed going in circles or if the forest was just monotonous that it made me _feel_ like I'm walking in circles. Another hour later, I saw the dent on the path—the one that I had made.

I swore under my breath. _So, I really am walking in circles!_ came my conclusion even if said conclusion did not make any sense. Then I remembered Rule Number 5 of Void's annoyingly stupid set of rules for this game of his: _Anything Goes_. I swore once more at that. Of course, it seems whoever was in control of the place—meaning, Void—wanted to frustrate me further because the moment I took one step forward, I found myself standing in the middle of a clearing.

"This is totally ridiculous." I found myself saying. I didn't know what I was hoping for. Was I hoping for Void to say something? If you were expecting that, well, we both got that wrong because Void was silent and so was the rest of the forest still. "Where's the fairness in this stupid game of yours, Void?"

_What am I saying? Of course he wouldn't be fair. He wanted me dead for crying out loud!_

Thinking back, I should have just kept my thoughts as blank as possible. Or maybe I should have thought about anything but Void's desire to kill me. Because as soon as that thought formulated itself on my mind, I heard the first sign of life and saw the first movements of life from the northwest side of the clearing-the one that was covered by tall grass and thick assortment of trees. The one that would have been the only place where I would not have thought anyone, or anything, would come out of.

I turned my attention to the sound. It was a sound of a boar. I was sure of it. But there was something wrong with the sound. Something that I couldn't place at the moment.

_So, there are animals here._ I thought to myself. I remember thinking that it was a good thing and feeling somewhat glad that I'm not virtually the only living thing in this place. But then, the ground began to shake. You know how it feels like when there's supposed to be a stampede coming your way with the ground vibrating from under your feet and the noise that accompanies it? The marching sounds? Well, it was something like that only multiplied to about a dozen times.

I was doing my best not to fall down and land on my butt. But the vibrating motion was making me a little dizzy. It was strange but I figured it was because of the whole electrocution-thing that Dana's doppelganger did, add that to the fact that I haven't eaten anything in a while. So, yeah. I guess I wasn't really fit to be doing anything. I made a mental note to find some food—one that isn't laced with poison or anything like that—as soon as I find a way out of this current predicament that I am in.

_If it's a group of boars then I'd just have to maneuver out of their way. If not, well, I guess I'll come up with a plan when the time comes. _Ah yes, the usual Daniel X routine when placed in a situation that apparently I had no control over.

So, I stood my ground. My hands were already balled into a fist and I couldn't help but wondering if that would do me any good.

A couple more seconds later and the trees exploded into tiny fragments of timber and dirt, and I knew that what I was facing was no ordinary horde of boars. It was something worse. Much, much worse. There, standing where the cluster of trees had been was a ten-foot tall boar-man.

Yes, you read that right. A guy who looks like a boar. His head was shaped like a boar's, complete with the tusks, the snout, and large, jagged canine teeth. His upper body, even though shaped like a normal, adult male's body, was well-toned and muscled and are filled with stiff bristles of fur making him look as though he had chocolate brown skin. He didn't have hooves for hands and feet, though. He was actually wearing a pair of torn jeans which made me think that he—yes, I am certain it's a 'he'—transformed into this thing. This wereboar thing. Well, I've heard about werewolves, so, who knows? Maybe there _are_ wereboars also.

Anyway, Mr. Wereboar gave a roar—a very loud roar—when he saw me. And he began to grin his foot on the ground and pound on it, like he was about to charge. I didn't wait for him to charge, though, before I made a break for it.

I hated myself as I ran. This was the third time that I had decided to run like my life depended on it-which, let's face it, it does. I wanted to fight. I wasn't a coward. But, what can I do? My powers are gone and I felt more human than ever. I didn't feel like a proud denizen of Alpak Nor, a survivor, or an awesome Alien Hunter. I didn't feel like myself and it scared me even more than the 200-pound, angry wereboar that was charging at me.

I couldn't find a way out of the clearing though. Something was blocking my escape and I knew who was responsible for that. And, I knew why Void was doing it.

_Come on, Danny-boy. Think!_ I commanded myself even as I ran. _There has to be a way out of this even if you're pretty sure that Void's making things so that there isn't a way out of it for you...but there has to be a way. And, if there isn't then make one. You always have made a way out of a mess in the past._

_Dammit! I could easily get out of this mess if I turn myself into a tiger or summon one._ My brain went on as I tried to think of a plan. _Or I could have turned myself into an elephant like how those Persians did. Maybe even conjure a spear or two, or maybe a gun..._

I must have been thinking way too much and was way too deep in it, that I didn't notice the wereboar had stopped and was waiting for me to circle around. When I did, it only took a moment for him to slash his tusk upward to try and wound me. I would have loved to say that I had managed to dodge him and give him a powerful kick in the back of the head or a powerful sucker punch but...well, like I've said, I must have been in way too deep a thought. Because I wasn't able to dodge, roll over or even think about counter attacking. What I got from that complete lack of focus was a large gash on the side of my arm.

A hiss escaped my lips as I stumbled back, gripping my wounded arm—that had started to bleed. I tried to stop the bleeding, of course, putting pressure on the wound but I knew that there was something more important that needed to be done. I think that getting wounded helped clear my mind a little bit. Not that it was hazy or anything like that. Because I realized—no, remembered—that I wasn't totally helpless. Having Level 3 speed and strength is not, by any means, helpless. And, I was angry. Really, really angry. Not just at that damn werewolf-person but at myself as well. How could I have forgotten?

And, if you know anything about me...you will know that you would not want to mess with me when I'm angry.

So, what did I do?

I charged straight towards Mr. Wereboar, giving a roar of my own with my fists raised and ready to attack. I think the wereboar wasn't expecting me to retaliate because he looked at me like I was crazy for trying to meet him face on. I didn't think I was crazy, though. I thought you might want to know that.

As I was saying, wereboar looked at me like I was crazy. Although he looked at me for only a second with that stupid look on his face, it was enough time for me to give him a little one-two of my own. I think I might have thought too much of the wereboar because I wasn't expecting him to go flying a couple of feet away from the force of my punches. But he did anyway. He flew so far back that he ended up hiting a couple of trees, breaking them into two, before a large boulder stopped him from destroying anything else. I heard a loud cracking sound, like that of a thunder roaring, as he hit the boulder's face and saw, as I ran towards where he flew ready to give him more, I saw cracks on the boulder as well.

Wow. I think I might have overdid it a little bit.

When he fell face down with a loud thud on the ground, I knew that I didn't overdo it a little bit. I overdid it by a large margin.

"Huh...who would've thought that that's all it would take." I whistled. "I guess you were just fast, huh?"

The wereboar's body began to disappear, and that was when I heard a tune. A fanfare. And I couldn't help groaning as the words 'victory' appeared right where the boar was. Then a screen appeared in front of me telling me that I had obtained 'some spoils from battle' which basically was the boar's tusk and a few coins. Before I knew it, a backpack had materialized on my shoulder and it was heavy. Taking it off and looking at its contents I saw what the screen had told me I had obtained—the wereboar's tusks. On the backpack's side pocket was the coins.

Great. Void's really making this look like some sort of video game.

I felt the stinging sensation on my arm and I remembered I wasn't without wounds. Looking at the wound I saw that it had been bleeding and had drenched pretty much my jacket with blood. I knew that I had to clean it up and give it some first aid, the problem was, there was no water and no first aid kits anywhere. You would have thought that after that battle, I would have gained a healing tonic or something like that. But no. This 'game' decides to give me a pair of stupid tusks. What the hell am I supposed to use that for?

You know what else I noticed? My health. The one showing on the screen right atop my head. Before, it had read 95. Now it was down to 70.

Great. That one attack got 25 off of my health and that thing wasn't even that strong. What happens when I meet up with someone who's as strong as me? At that point, I knew what one of my important tasks would be. I need to find a way to heal myself, and fast.

I looked around at the path that wereboar—who now has completely disappeared—had opened up by crashing through the trees. It wasn't much for a path but since Void wasn't playing fair and doing things that did not have any logic in them, I decided to do what he was doing and stray off from the path that was visible. I figured I might as well make my own path. And so, despite the fact that I found the bushes were covered with small thorns and ended up getting punctured here and there, I forged on while keeping pressure on my wounded arm.

I knew that I wouldn't be bleeding to death because of this wound, so I didn't think much of the wound. I had been in a much worse situation back when I was in Alpak Nor when Ergent Seth captured me and this wound was nothing compared to it. Of course, I knew that it would be bad, however, if I leave it as it is. I had to clean the wound.

_If this is some sort of video game, as Void claimed it to be, then that would mean that there's a way to get my health back up. I know I'm not in the red yet but it doesn't hurt to be ready and in prime condition should another battle start._

Of course, since this was Void's world and his rules seem to be the center of this place, things were not easy for me. I wasn't able to find a brook, a stream, a lake, a pond or any damn body of water. Instead, what I found waiting for me was another battle. And this time, there are two wereboars and both of them were bigger than the one I had just defeated.

"Oh great." I muttered under my breath. "I guess Void doesn't know me enough to realize that two wereboars won't be able to stop me. All I have to do is kick these guys butt to next week like I did with that other friend of theirs."

I didn't wait for the wereboar brothers to attack first. I took the initiative and barreled straight towards them. I figured I shouldn't hold back. Holding back could mean trouble for me and so I attacked them with the same intensity that I attacked the other wereboar. Within a minute, the battle was over.

"Piece of cake." I grinned to myself as the whole victory fanfare erupted and the screen that shows the spoils from the battle appeared. This time, I got what I wanted. A healing herb. I didn't think twice whether I should use it or not. As soon as I took the herb out of the backpack, I pressed it on my wound and within seconds, the wound was healed and my health was back to a hundred. I couldn't help grinning after that.

I grinned even more when I saw a light at the end of the dreary group of trees and saw that the fog was slowly disappearing with every step I took towards the light. _That has to be the end of this level. _

I was right. It was the end of the level. But the smile on my face has vanished because right there, standing between me and a portal that would probably take me to the next level, was the biggest, meanest, and angriest wereboar that I have ever seen. And let me tell you, this one wasn't a male. It was a female wereboar. It was the mother wereboar to be exact.

"This..." I gulped even as I readied myself for battle. "...is not good."

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that's that.

What do you guys think? I hope it's not bad. It took me a while to update this story (got delayed by a couple of hours) since I got so caught up in reading Red Riding Hood (the same Red Riding Hood that's the movie) that I forgot to upload this chapter.

Anyways, the next chapter would be on Tuesday. Until then, Peace Out!

Oh yeah, don't forget to review if you can!


	4. Chapter 4

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Notes:**

I know, I know. This update was delayed. I'm really sorry. Blame it on the book I'm working on that's going to be published soon. And, while you're at it, blame it on Pokemon White as well as the couple of books that I've been busying myself with reading. But I am sorry that this got delayed. Anyways, I won't go on and prolong the wait. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Read on!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Four**

The first thing I thought as I made a beeline for the exit was: _No, No, No! Oh, crap!_

Yeah, not much of a thought there. Of course, I was also thinking about how it would have helped if I knew that this was going to happen. I know most people would've guessed it and I suppose that's because they sort of have that sixth sense that I heard most gamers have-the sense that something was bound to happen. Like they know it before hand from playing too much video games and seeing too many clichés. I don't know why but I figured the predicament I was in would be smack dab in the middle of the cliché department.

I made a mental note that if I survive this nightmare, I'm going to grab myself an XBOX and immerse myself in the world of computer gaming. I wasn't even worried about what my mom or Dana would think. I'm guessing even Emma wouldn't like it and would probably but I figured Joe and Willy would enjoy and XBOX or even a PS3.

Okay, so maybe I'm letting my mind wander a bit there. A big no-no when you're in the middle of fighting for your life, or running for it.

Anyways, Mommy Wereboar was angry. Really, _really_ angry. Angrier than Joe-Joe was when Emma decided to make everyone eat nothing but tofu for a month a long time ago. She charged at me not caring if I was jumping behind huge boulders or rolling behind the thick trees. She didn't feel any pain it seems and she managed to destroy anything in her path. I know that I'm sturdier than most...okay _all_...humans but that doesn't mean that I would like to know what if feels like to be mauled by a wereboar.

The wereboar made a loud roar as it stood with its head thrown back. Yeah, I didn't know boars could roar but I guess when you're one of the 'were' classifications of animals (eg werewolf, werecat, were-whatever) roaring is a given skill to intimidate your foe. Her roaring gave her an opening for me to go and try my one-two combination that had gotten the best of her younglings. The thing was, the mommy was much stronger and its hide was much, much thicker than her babies and my she didn't flinch at my attacks. Instead, she used her head to throw me off of my feet. I landed a few good distance away from her with a loud 'thump' and a groan.

It didn't hurt. Much. But it seems that the little window I have on top of my head would like to argue otherwise since it cut the numbers on the screen by a dozen points (that's twelve points if you're not too good with numbers). It was unfair and I could have complained if it were not for the fact that something more important was going on in front of me.

I knew that lying on the ground and taking my time to push myself off of my butt wasn't a great idea and so I quickly scrambled to my feet. When I looked over at the mommy wereboar, she was already pounding her hooves on the ground readying to charge and just before I could make a break for it, she had already hurled herself towards me.

I wasn't even able to make a mental countdown for the collision but when she did collide at me it felt as though I was hit by a train. Not that I have ever been hit by a train before, it's just that I figured this would be what it would feel like being hit by one. My landing was as 'soft' as my previous one. It was rather hard since I was pushed back into a face of a cliff that I didn't know was there before. Mommy wereboar wasn't done though and she was charging at me once again, maybe she was thinking of pinning me on the wall.

"Not gonna happen." I muttered as I pushed myself off of the wall and rolled out of the way at the last minute.

Wereboar's head was stuck on the wall and it looked kind of funny with a dent on the wall that was shaped like he and the head of the boar in 'my' midsection. Of course, if I really was the one who got hit by that, I don't think I would have laughed, not that I was laughing at that time since I felt like my whole body was filled with broken bones and the screen showed me that my life was down by another twenty points. _Oh, come on!_

I knew I had to dispose of the creature as soon as I could-hopefully now-since I don't have any healing herbs to heal myself with-which, let's face it is pretty bad. I knew my chances of survival would be slim if this keeps up and I wasn't planning on giving Void the benefit of a good show with me being dead as the finale.

I threw back my arm, ready to pound on the wereboar's legs first to disable it only to find that wereboar had another thing coming for me. It punched me (can you believe it) right at the gut without even looking and while still trying to unstuck herself. I reeled at the force of the blow and at the shock that this creature could do that. Use its legs to punch and kick, I mean. I would have expected a kangaroo to do something like that but a boar-even a wereboar-not really.

I didn't want to look at the screen to see the numbers there. I knew that Void would have cut more numbers off of it. It seems like he didn't care if this particular entertainment ended too soon. Well, I suppose it was really pathetic if you would think that me, Daniel X, died at the first level of a real-live video game. Killed by a wereboar-a creature that no one knew existed until now. Not that I was dying or anything right then.

The mother wereboar finally got itself unstuck and it looked at me even angrier than before and once again began pounding its hooves on the ground. _BAM! BAM! BAM!_ Its hooves went.

I stood my ground, a little bit shaky and I tried to push the dizzy spell away. I made a plan right then and there just before the wereboar charged at me to jump behind it and pound it silly from its back. It seemed like a good idea at that time and I could even picture myself doing it and so, when the wereboar charged, I did just that.

I managed to complete the first part of my plan, which was to jump on the back of the said creature. I was about to put my fists into the back of its skull when it's head did a 180 turn so that its face was facing me. It was dead creepy, like one of those things you see a ghost or some creature of the dark at the movies do. And then, it grinned. Yes, grinned! I had seen a lot of creepy and disturbing sights in my life but this has got to be a part of my top ten list. I couldn't stop myself, as if on reflex my fist flew right at its face. I guess it was waiting for that since the moment my arm was within the range of its face, it opened its mouth and I saw not just teeth but another head-a snake-like head that suddenly darted for my arm and it bit me.

"Aargh!" came out of my mouth. It was a very intellectual thing to shout at that time, wouldn't you agree? Not.

The snake-thing dug its fangs into my skin further before I finally had enough sense to grab it by the body (the snake I mean, not the wereboar) and yank it off of the wereboar's mouth. The snake-thing thrashed in my hand and I heard a gurggling sound coming from the wereboar's mouth as I continued to pull it. I sucked in a breath and tears stung my eyes. The pain from the snake bite was intense.

I didn't know how long it took before I finally yanked the snake off of the wereboar's mouth but when I did, the wereboar made a sound that was between a scream, roar and a gurgle before it disappeared. The snake on my hand, which was still biting my arm took a while before it died. When it did vanish the victory fanfare erupted and I sank down on the ground panting, sweating and hissing at the pain.

You would have thought that after a battle like that, that I would have gained anything from it. But, no. There were no treasure chests or anything. All I got from that stupid fight was a wounded and bleeding bite in my right forearm and a screen that showed my health was at a critical level. Thirty to be exact.

"I should have known that monster was an alien." I muttered to myself as I pushed myself up and took a look at the exit whose light was oh so inviting. "Wereboar my butt. That was a Wok."

Okay, let me give you a heads up about Woks. Woks are parasitic aliens that look like worms then evolve into snake-like creatures that look like it was straight out of Dune. You know, those Sandworm things? Yeah, they look kinda like that complete with those sharp teeth that could have been used to shred anything from rocks to diamonds to crystals and all the hard metals and stones you can think of. I guess you can say that I was lucky it wasn't a full-grown Wok. Now, you may be wondering why they looked like a wereboar-half-man, half-boar-thing. Well, the Woks can take in the appearance of their last known meal so those things that I fought? Well, they might have eaten a human (or an alien looking like a human, like myself) and a boar for their last meal.

I didn't realize it before but I guess having fought another alien species in this video-game world that this place was like a coliseum where one alien is pitted against the next. I didn't mind it. I am an Alien Hunter after all, as long as said alien isn't the peace-loving kind who just got dragged into this mess.

While my thoughts were still wondering what other alien species I would be facing in this twisted world of Void's, I made my way towards the exit and once there, I let the light engulf me and take me to the next level.

* * *

"Congratulations, you have achieved Level 2." A female computer voice droned as I found myself standing in a white space. "You're maximum health is now one-hundred and twenty. Your maximum strength and defense have increased by three. Please pick an item as your reward."

As soon as it said those words, three boxed appeared right in front of me. I took a reflexive step backwards.

"What's the catch?" I asked, not particularly trusting what was going on.

"There is no catch, Daniel X." The computer went on. _Wow, that's some advanced AI right there._

"Yeah, right." I shook my head and found that that was a stupid move as I felt dizzy, probably from blood lost as my injured forearm was still badly bleeding. "I wasn't born yesterday, you know. I know this has got to be a trap. Void won't just go giving me something that _could_ help me out in this situation."

"Master Void is a man who fights fairly." I couldn't help but snort at that. _Fairly? Yeah, right. _"It seems as though the Master had failed to inform you about Level Jumps and Level Ups. If so, then please allow me to explain."

_Well, at least this AI was polite. Void could learn from it._ "Alright, let's hear it then."

A screen appeared before me. It held the explanation to whatever Level Jumps were and about Leveling Up. _Huh, another tutorial, eh?_ And as I was reading it, the female computer voice read it along with me. Not that I was reading it aloud as she was doing.

"Level Jumps are places that connects two levels. They serve as an access point where the player, Daniel X, can rest. Do not be confused with healing, though. Daniel X can rest, however, it does not specifically mean that his health points would be restored while inside Level Jumps." The computer read like I wasn't there. It didn't even bother changing the 'Daniel X' parts to 'you'. "Inside Level Jumps, no enemies can attack Daniel X and his party." _Party? What party? _"Level Jumps, therefore, are sanctuaries and a bend in the time-space continuum where a truce is implemented between Daniel X and Void, Master of the Game World."

I wanted to say that I don't remember any truce being signed between us, but I didn't bother to speak. After all, I wasn't complaining about this Level Jump thing.

"Level Jumps also serve as the place where rewards are given for completing the level or stage. It is also the place where a Level Up is given based on Daniel X and his party's performance." Continued the explanation. "The amount of experience gained, as well as leveling up, is based on multiple factors. These factors will be enumerated and explained in the following section."

The computer voiced then paused as the screen flipped onto the next page of the tutorial, or guide...or whatever you want to call this.

When the new set of words appeared on the screen and had finished loading, the voice went on: "A total of a hundred experience points is needed to gain one level. Experience points are accumulated through defeating enemies, solving puzzles and other actions performed by Daniel X. The quicker Daniel X dispatches his enemies, for instance, the larger the experience awarded at the end of the battle would be. Solving puzzles quickly would also reward Daniel X with a higher experience points than if he would have solved it under the set amount of time."

Another pause and another screen was loaded.

"During the end of the level, once Daniel X has stepped into the safe zone-the Level Jump-he will be awarded his experience based on his actions. If he had managed to accumulate a hundred points, or more, he will then receive a Level Up. A Level Up can give Daniel X a boost in his abilities-his strength, speed, health and overall performance..." _They make it sound like I'm some sort of car or something. _"and can give him new abilities and can even, if he is lucky, reactivate some of his lost powers. The same is true for the rest of his party." _There's that word again._

The screen then disappeared and the voice said, "This concludes the explanation on Level Jumps and Level Ups. Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah, I have a couple but I don't think you can answer them all so I'll just go ahead with this one: What do you mean by party? Am I supposed to have some sort of groupie that would help me with this little demented game Void has made for me?" I asked. I was feeling tired and woozy.

The computer was silent for a while before it replied, "That is classified information. I am sorry but I cannot answer your question."

I almost wanted to hit my head on the wall, the floor or anything and I wanted to pound my fist on the computer if I could. I couldn't do either of them though.

"Do you have any other questions?" It asked and I was tempted to say 'Yeah, where's the exit?'. When I didn't say anything though, the computer just went on to speak. "Since we have established the explanation for Level Jumps and Level Ups, please select one item as your reward for completing the first stage of the game."

"Well, I might as well." I muttered to myself as I took a painful step forward. When I did, the top of the boxes shoot right up and surprised me, "Holy Sh-!"

When the initial surprise vanished and my racing heart calmed down, I moved closer to the boxes and peered inside them, one by one. The left box had a small parcel wrapped in manila paper and held together by strings. The middle box had a swiss army knife on it and a ring. The right box had a couple of herbs and bottled medicines that made me want to do a little victory dance.

"You may choose one item and one item only. It is advised that you choose carefully." The voice spoke just as I was about to reach in and grab the healing items. I mean, if you were in my shoes you would have darted for it as well, right?

The thing was, that voice kind of stopped me. What it said made me think twice and made me wonder about thinking twice. _Is this some kind of trap? Does Void want me to get the healing items or not...? Wait, why would he want me to take these items. Sure the AI said Void's trying to play fair but..._

I took another look at the other two boxes. A mysterious parcel and the weapon and an accessory. The weapon would have been a good choice, even though I didn't know what the ring was for but that's only as good as how much longer I could survive and with my health down to thirty, I was guessing that wouldn't be too long unless I could get my health back up and that meant choosing the healing items. The parcel? Well, it was a mystery to me. I don't know what's in it and if anything in it would be useful or if it's just one of Void's trickery and everything in it would be a bunch of crap and would be as useless as that. So then, it would only make sense to take the healing items and go...

So why then am I hesitating?

"Dammit!" I swore. "This should be an easy choice!"

I wasn't really running out of time but I feel as though I was about to collapse. I was still losing blood and I needed to heal myself already. That was when I had made up my mind. I was walking over to the box filled with medical supplies when I suddenly tripped and fell over the left box, spilling the content-which was the parcel-on the floor.

"Oh, sorry." I huffed, but then the voice spoke.

"You have chosen box number 1." The computer said.

"Wait, what?" I quickly got up to my feet just in time to see the other two boxes disappeared. "Hey! I tripped! This isn't what I chose!"

"There is a no refund and no exchange policy in this game." The voice droned. "You only have once to choose and you have chosen the parcel. We wish you luck on the next level. Once you are ready to proceed, please step into the portal."

"Hey! Wait! That's not fair! I tripped!" I continued to shout at the computer, looking like a crazy person. But the voice did not speak after that, it was gone and all I could do was whine and say, "Oh, come on! Come back!"

I strode angrily towards where the parcel had fallen off and I was about to kick it when a voice spoke behind me. It wasn't the computer or the AI that spoke, it was a voice that was all too familiar to me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said.

I almost lost my balance as I turned around to face Willy. And if I wasn't surprised already to see him standing right there in front of me, I would have been even surprised to see what he looked like. He didn't look like the Willy that I was with before. He looked different. He looked like a guerilla complete with all sorts of artillery hanging around his body.

"Willy?" I gaped at him.

Willy looked at me confused, fingering one of his weapons-a gun, an alien-tech gun-like he was getting ready to shoot someone with it. "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

Willy sounded suspicious and I couldn't help but think that the person he would more likely to shoot with his gun was me. It was strange seeing Willy like this towards me. I wasn't _that_ worried yet since I remembered one of the good things in the Level Jump-I can't be harmed in it.

"I'm not really sure why you can't remember who I am, Willy though I suspect Void has something to do with it but it's me, Daniel. You know, you're Alien Hunter friend?" I said, my voice was slow as if I was talking to calm a person down, which thinking on it really seemed like what I was doing.

"Daniel?" He asked, there was a hint of disbelief in his voice and of something else. I wasn't sure what it was. "That can't be right. You can't be him."

Okay...that was not what I had expected him to say. Of course, unexpected things _had_ been happening ever since we got to Tokyo but still, that was really something I didn't expect Willy to say. "What do you mean I can't be him? I am Daniel. You know, the same Daniel who's the son of Graff and Altrelda." Then with sudden realization I added, "Wait, you remember me?"

"Not you. Daniel." Willy retorted. Then he pointed the gun at me and I couldn't help raising an eyebrow at him. "I don't know who you are but I can't believe that you are the Daniel that I know."

"Oh, come on, Willy. It's not like you know that many Daniels here on Terra Firma." I said, exasperated. _What has gotten into him?_

_"_Terra Firma?" Willy was back to being confused. "What are you talking about. We're at Alpak Nor."

"Uh, no we're not. We haven't been there since we defeated Ergent Seth." I reminded him. That made him even more confused. I didn't really think anything would confuse Willy like this.

"I don't know what you're saying. We heard Ergent Seth was defeated but I am certain that I wasn't there helping with his defeat." Willy said, he still hadn't lowered his weapon. "You are tricking me into believing that and into believing that you are Daniel. You are not him and I can't allow you to keep saying that you are him."

"You can't really stop me from saying who I say I am when who I say I am is who I am." Okay, that sounded confusing, even for me but the point was, I was indignant as to who I am. After all, I know who I am. I'm Daniel X. "And you were there. You, me, Joe-Joe, Emma, and Dana. Come on, man!"

"You...know about my sister and the others?" Willy asked. Did I say that he looked confused? I did? Good. "How can you know about them? Who are you really? Don't tell me you're Daniel because if you do I'm going to make sure I blast your head right off of your neck."

"Really, Willy? This place is a no-fight zone, remember? Does the word 'Level Jump' mean anything to you?" I reminded him of the rule about this white space. "You can't harm me here and I think I can't harm you here either so it's pretty stupid to threaten me right now."

"That doesn't mean I can't push you into the portal and then blast your head off from there." He retorted.

I was starting to get irritated. "Alright, man. I don't really get what's going on or what the heck Void did to you to make you forget about me or to make you 'real'. Heck, maybe you aren't real and you're just like one of those programs he'd sent to confuse me. I already met Dana's look-alike and I don't want to worry and wonder what and who the heck you're really supposed to be. But I am telling you I am Daniel!"

"Just because you say that you are him doesn't mean that you're him." Shouted Willy. "I don't care if you know about me and the rest of our _drang_ or if you know the names of Daniel's parents. You could very well be a trap for _me_."

"Why would they want to set up a trap for you?" Came my question. "You're already dead and could make yourself disappear and appear with _my_ help." Okay, so that wasn't very nice of me to say and it wasn't exactly true right now.

"What are you talking about?" _Wow, we really have been exchanging nothing but questions._ "I am not dead. I am breathing and am alive."

"Dude, you've been dead for a long time. You died on Alpak Nor when the school was attacked." I was dizzy, my head was throbbing and I knew that I looked paler than normal. I didn't want to tell Willy that. The only person who knows about the four of them having already died was Dana. But I couldn't help myself. I guess fear and anger can really do a number o n your head...that and blood loss.

"That is not true!" Shouted Willy and he fired the gun right at me. I wasn't expecting that but even with my crappy feeling, I still managed to dodge the laser bullet. Just then, alarms went off and the computer's voice returned saying

'Warning' over and over again with the lights flashing red around us. Amidst the blare of the alarm, Willy shouted. "I did not die at Alpak Nor and I am not dead, neither is my sister, Joe and Emma. I will not be fooled by one of Void's tools."

He fired another round, and another. All the while I was doing my best to dodge. I know it would be hopeless to stay and try to talk with Willy, if this really was Willy and not, as he said, one of 'Void's tools'. I quickly scrambled for the stupid parcel that I got as a reward and without taking another look back at Willy, I dove for the portal. Bleeding or not. Rest or no rest. I thought that I would be much safer on the other side of the portal.

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

I don't really know what to say at this point. Maybe it's because I'm still feeling a little bit sleepy? I don't really know.

Anyways, since I got delayed last week and have only managed to update now, the next chapter would be posted on Friday or Saturday (depending on what happens from today until then). I do hope you guys are finding this fanfic interesting and are enjoying it. Thoughts? Please send a review. ^_^

So, until then: Peace Out!


	5. Chapter 5

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

**Author's Notes:**

* * *

I think I've run out of apologies for being delayed in regards with updating this fanfic. I had been busy with a couple of things (my book that I'm working to get published, catching up on my "summer" reading, working on the McLaina website, work, and life) that I forgot to update this fanfic. Anyways, I do hope I can return to my regular update schedule and finish this fanfic. I wish I could say more but, all I have left to say is: Read on! XD

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

I don't remember what happened as soon as I jumped out of the Safe Zone. I might have lost consciousness, which explains why everything, after Willy tried to shoot my head off, was blank...and why I now find myself in a tattered tent with my wounds bandaged and without any idea how I got there.

The fact that I can't remember freaked me out...well, that and the fact that I was also bare-chested and only wearing my jeans.

I quickly scrambled to my feet and regretted it an instant later when I felt woozy. Without a doubt, I had certainly woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I groaned as I let my head fall on my hand, trying to stop the world from spinning. Then my mind wandered into what had just happened in the Safe Zone: Willy-my friend, Willy-had tried to kill me. It was unthinkable, impossible, and unbelievable. Of course, I was dealing with Void. I know that. I really believe that Void had some memory scrambler or something that allowed him to make Willy and Dana-and I am starting to believe even Joe-Joe and Emma-to forget about me. But then, how was it that Willy and Dana looked...different? I know I didn't do anything to change how they look because doing something like that would definitely make my friends want to kill me. So then...how can I explain the whole guerrilla and older look that Willy has? Or the fact that Dana was wearing a tight, leather, overall that looked like it was taken straight out of that movie, Tron (I know the movie, Joe-Joe and Willy _forced_ me to watch it), when I saw her. Which, once again, brought me back into thinking that Void had something to do with them, that there were just coded look-alikes and not the "real" deal.

I was about to ponder on the possibility that Void had captured my friends and had brainwashed-no matter how it isn't really plausible unless I was still, unconsciously, keeping them from returning back to the depths of my imagination-them into thinking that they don't know me when someone suddenly spoke.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" she said.

I turned around to look at the entrance to the tent and found someone, a girl, standing there. I knew the person was a girl from the way she stood, even though her face was hidden from me-darkened by the light shining behind her. She wore the same outfit, the same guerilla-looking outfit that Willy was wearing when I met him in the Safe Zone.

"Who-?" I was about to ask, but the girl was already moving around the tent and speaking.

"You surprised me, you know. I didn't think anyone would be coming out of the portal." she said as she took a vial filled with grayish-looking goo and walked on to what appeared to be the kitchen. "None of us heard about a new challenger to the games."

"What do you mean? And who are you?" I finally managed to ask my question.

The girl turned around just as I had asked my query and I gasped. I should've known, but at the same time, how could I have known?

"Emma?" I said, before she could introduce herself.

"You know who I am?" She asked back as she walked towards me and took my arm and took off the bandages.

I looked at my wound as she proceeded to dump the gooey liquid and watched as it sizzled on my skin before disappearing under it. The wound, or what was left of it-which was just a pinkish horizontal line on my skin-smelled weird. As I stared, I know that my jaw had dropped at the sight of my healed arm.

"You heal fast. You're not human, are you?" She asked.

I nodded. "No. I'm not...and I know that neither are you. If you really are Emma."

"What does that suppose to mean and how come you know who I am?" She was starting to sound suspicious...I don't really blame her.

"Look, I'm not sure if you're gonna believe me or not. I am sure that you don't remember me, though, since I've already met Dana and Willy and they both clearly don't remember me and even tried to kill me...well, maybe not Dana. She didn't really tried to kill me, she just helped Void send me here. But, it's me. Daniel." I said, the words came tumbling out of my mouth in one breath.

"Daniel?" She asked and I saw her finger twitched.

"Yeah. Daniel, son of Graff and Altrelda. Do I need to say that I was born in Alpar Nok? Or that we are all part of a _drang_? You, me, Dana, Willy, and Joe-Joe."

The moment those words are out of my mouth, Emma didn't waste any time in drawing a metallic-looking staff with a giant, green, circular gem resting at the top and pointed it at me. I'm guessing the staff was Emma's choice for a weapon in this world.

"Ugh...not again," I groaned. "What is with you guys? I know you don't remember but pointing that...thing-whatever that is-at me won't help."

"It will once I get you out of my tent," She retorted. "You're not Daniel."

"Why do you guys kept telling me that?" I asked. "I am Daniel, Alien Hunter and Defender of Terra Firma-just like how my parents were. How can you guys not see that I am _that_ Daniel? I mean, how many Alpar Nok aliens hunters do you know that has the same name as me?"

"Because you're not him," Emma shouted, her hands were shaking but I noticed the green gem had started to light up. "You can't be Daniel because Daniel's dead! He died with his parents!"

That stopped me from whatever I was really supposed to say to her. The word 'dead' screamed and echoed inside my head.

"What are you talking about? I'm not dead. I didn't die with my parents when The Prayer attacked us." I said. I know I can't be wrong about that because, well, I just can't. After all, I'm alive, aren't I? "You guys should know about that. You know how I managed to transform into a tick and escaped, how I have been living my whole life tracking down the aliens in Terra Firma, making my way up the list and to The Prayer."

"This has to be some kind of trap," I heard Emma mutter, "Void just couldn't get us to give up and so, now, he's doing this. Making us believe what we want to believe. No. You can't be Daniel."

"I really don't get what your reasoning is, but give me a chance and I'll try to prove that I am who I say I am!" I was getting exasperated. "It's not really cool when you have people who look like your friends tell you that they don't remember you or that they don't believe that you are you."

"Fine, then," Emma said, though she didn't bother to point that...thing away from me. She actually did something to it to make the gem begin to glow. "I'll give you five seconds to prove to me that you are, indeed, Daniel."

Five seconds? Was she serious? That's hardly enough time to even tell her everything about me and everything I do remember and know about her!

"You're kidding me, right? Five seconds?" I asked.

But she just glared at me and began counting down, "Five..."

What was I supposed to say? I don't really have anything to say to her that could prove that I am, indeed, Daniel.

"Four..."

And clearly, it wasn't helping that she was only giving me five seconds to convince her.

"Three..."

It wasn't fair! None of this was fair!

"Two..."

"Okay, okay!" I finally said, stopping her just before she could count down to one. I only had one shot, and I wasn't even sure if it would work. "My mom and dad."

"Your mom and dad?" She asked, not sure where I was going. But, even amidst the confusion, she was still not letting her guard down. "What about Daniel's parents?"

"You have to admit that I look like them," I said. It was a lame attempt at getting her to believe me.

She frowned and then she pointed the staff-thing she was carrying at me with renewed vigor.

"Is that it?" she asked. "Void could easily have made you up using the facial features of both Graff and Altrelda."

"Well...yeah, just like how he did with you and the others. Either he made you guys up from my memory or he's using my version of you and twisting it to make me completely crazy, lower my morale, and all that. But, I don't really think that you guys are my creation since I'm not doing anything to call on you or the others, not that I can do that since Void did something to stop me from using them..." I was once again babbling, going around in circles as I tried to think of something, anything to make Emma believe me.

"You are starting to confuse me," Emma said. "What are you talking about? I'm not some make-believe character or a replica of someone else. I am me. Emma."

"And that's what I'm saying to you as well, I am Daniel, though I don't really have anything I can do to prove that to you or to Willy who had just tried to kill me," I grumbled. "You're asking me for a proof right now. I don't have one. But as soon as I wipe the floor with Void's face, I can show you that I am really Daniel. I don't know who told you, or anyone else, that I'm dead since...well, I'm not, and you can ask my grandmother, Blaleen about it, if you want."

Emma squinted at me and she continued to study me for a while.

I decided to throw in one little thing that I remembered my relatives from Alpar Nok called me, "How about the fact my family-my relatives-like to call me 'stinkyboy'?"

That...got a little more than just a glare at me. For the first time, Emma's lips curved into the tiniest hint of a smile.

"Stinkboy…" There was a hint of remembrance in her voice.

"Y-yeah. Though, I don't feel all that thrilled if you're gonna start believing me because of that nickname," I said.

There was a slight pause. Emma was thinking.

"I still don't trust you," was her conclusion. I was about to protest when she lifted her hands to silence me, "I don't know who you really are or if what you say is true. Part of me is hoping that you really are Daniel...but, after all this time, it's really hard to believe. But, that's not important right now. Right now, what's important is winning the game."

I nodded, though I didn't like what she said that me clearing the fact that I am me isn't important. Well, it was important to _me_.

"Okay...so, can you please point that thing away from me now, Em?" I asked. I wasn't about to relax while she was still pointing it at me.

Reluctantly she did what I asked her.

"Now what?" I asked her, while hoping that she wasn't going to go and say something like: "Now, you're my prisoner."

"Now we pack," she said. And that was that.

Packing really didn't take all that long. There wasn't anything for me to pack, after all. Emma did gave me a bag with clothes on them-guerilla clothing-and told me that I could wear one of those. She told me that they were her brother's, WIlly's. As soon as I was done clothing myself, Emma led the way away from the tent. She told me that we needed to get as far away from it as possible. That it wasn't safe in these regions, and that the only reason why we used the tent in the first place was because I was so banged up when she found me that she couldn't move me to anywhere until I woke up and healed. Which is why she once again stressed that it was good I healed fast.

This new zone that I found myself in, wasn't a forested area. It was a swamp. The kind where you could tell that an evil, alien creature would be lurking about...that, or a swamp monster. The light from the sun-artificial or otherwise-barely touched the swamp's floor as tall, thick trees with large, fat vines dangling on them, blocked their way down. The smell of the swamp was like the smell of a thousand month-old sock that somebody forgot to wash.

"Tell me, if you really are Emma, how did you guys survive the attack on Alpar Nok?" I asked, after a while. It was really nagging at me, and I figured that this was one of those questions where I could see who this person-Emma's look-alike-really was. "Blaleen told me that you guys died. They couldn't find your bodies but with what Seth did at the school, they were sure you guys couldn't have survived. I saw the debris when I came back, and I could see why they would think that no one survived."

"Are you really saying that you met Blaleen and that she believed that you are Daniel?" Emma asked, choosing not to readily answer my question.

"Why would she doubt who I am? Sure, she was surprised to see me there but, well, I didn't really have to prove to her, or the others, who I am...well, not much," I answered, "Although, we didn't really have time. Seth was after me...and the rest of the survivors. But, we did have enough time for her to remind me who I am and to tell me what I had missed."

Silence.

We have managed to cross to the other side of the swamp when she finally spoke again, this time to give her answer.

"We weren't at the Academy," she said in a hushed tone. "We were _supposed_ to be there but...well, Joe-Joe forced us to skip classes. I told them we shouldn't, that we'd get caught and certainly get punished for it. But, Willy was going, and so was Dana..."

"Dana? Skipping class?" I asked, it was unheard of. Or, at least, I couldn't imagine it. "That's...I didn't think she's that kind of girl. I mean, the last time we were all together, we were preschoolers, sure, but...I kinda thought Dana wouldn't be the type to ditch school."

Emma glanced at me, there was a smile on her face. "She wasn't. Well, she didn't really like to skip classes. I don't really know the reason why she wanted to go with Willy and Joe. But, well, she made me go with them. So, we ditched the Academy and went to the observatory. Who would have thought that that day we left school, Ergent Seth would attack us."

"The First Strike. You guys weren't in the Academy, that's why they couldn't find your bodies," I said. "Everyone mistook you for dead...just like how they thought I have died when the Prayer attacked my parents."

"It was pandemonium when Seth attacked. We were just kids. We didn't know what to do, and so we just hid in the first place we could think of," Emma went on to say. "We thought we would be safe there until someone finds us and rescues us...of course, we didn't think that the ones who would find us weren't exactly there to rescue us."

Then she stopped walking, and was suddenly alert. I was so engrossed with what she was telling me that I didn't realize we were almost at the exit of the level. "That's strange. Why didn't we encounter any enemies?"

"Maybe this is one of those no-monster zones?" I asked. But, even as I asked that question, I knew that that would be impossible. Void wouldn't want to make things easy, especially since I wasn't alone any more. Plus, it seems like he is also after this Emma, and Willy, and who knows, maybe even Joe.

"No, there's no such place...except for the safe zones," Emma answered.

When nothing happened, when nothing shot at us or attacked us, we started moving again, albeit slower this time. We were almost at the end of the path, almost near the flag that was our destination, when the water from the swamp suddenly started to bubble.

"That can't be good." I said.

"Nothing in this place is 'ever good'," Emma reminded me, then added, "Except maybe for meeting friends that you have thought dead."

I nodded and grinned, "You can say that again."

I was prepping myself up for a battle with a swamp monster, letting my adrenaline get me all hyped up. I was thinking that two is always better than one. That, with Emma there with me, we could probably take out whatever comes our way. Even without the rest of my powers, I figured I could survive the ordeal much like how I have managed to do so, so far.

But, it wasn't a swamp monster or an alien creature bent on killing me and Emma that appeared. It was a large missile launcher. A really big one. So big that you would have to wonder how it could have been hidden under the swamp and if it would still be functional. Of course, the latter question vanished when a missile was suddenly fired at us.

We didn't have time to run, or hide, or jump out of the way.

We didn't have time to do anything.

Or so I thought.

Which was why I was surprised when Emma suddenly struck her staff into the ground and the ground began to shake. A couple of milli-seconds later, a thick wall of earth had appeared between us and the missile launcher. The first missile, that it fired, hit the wall, but it did no damage. The only signal you got that it had hit was the loud "Boom!" that echoed in the swamp.

"Wha-what? H-how?" I asked, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Ever wondered what I could do to earn myself a spot at the Academy?" she asked. I had wondered about that, ever since Blaleen told me about them being in the Academy. "Well, I can, sort of, control the earth."

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

I know. It's been such a _loooooooooong_ time. So long, in fact, that has already announced what the story for the third Daniel X book is going to be.

I'm so sorry that it took so long, though. I haven't forgotten about this fanfic. I have to admit, though, that the updates for this would be slow. But, I will finish this!

Anyways, not as good as I would have liked, but this is the best I can do at the moment.

I do hope you guys enjoyed it.

I'm actually thinking of writing an AU one-shot for Daniel X...or maybe Witch&Wizard, or some other book I've been a fan of. I haven't decided yet, but...yeah.

Cross your fingers for an earlier update, guys!

Until the next chapter: PEACE OUT!


	6. Chapter 6

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I am _so_ sorry about not updating…and that goes to all of my fics. I've been so busy, not only with work and life in general but also with working to publish my book and getting your book published is very, _very_ hard and time-consuming.

I won't make this longer than necessary. I have a couple of things to say though, and that would have to wait until the post author notes part of this fanfic. Sooo, yeah…enjoy this new chapter.

**End of Author's Notes**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I _do_ own is the idea for this fanfic and this fanfic itself.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Saying that she can "control the earth"—it was one of Emma's understatements. She can do more than that and she showcased her power in such a way that told me she had been doing it since, well, since forever, I guess.

Emma took care of the missile launcher all by herself. I wasn't able to do anything at all to help her. The way she quickly planned out how to destroy the missile launcher and how she efficiently used her powers was enough to make me feel awestruck.

Emma was—_is_—a pacifist. That much I do remember when I was still with them, back when we were kids. But, the way she fought, well, it was like a whole different Emma. An Emma who seems like a formidable Alien Hunter and who looks as though she can be a formidable foe as well.

I was glad that she hadn't redirected that power on to me. I'm not sure if I could have done anything under my current circumstance.

And so, with the missile launcher buried deep within the earth, there was nothing left to hinder us from reaching our goal. We didn't waste any time walking as though we were strolling at a park, too. We ran, as soon as we could, towards the flag—the point that would take us to another safe zone and onto another danger-filled zone.

* * *

I was still grinning like an idiot an hour after we arrived at the next level.

I hadn't realized it, until we made the jump and the AI had informed me, that I was already at the fifth level and with that level-up came one of my powers.

Unfortunately, the game—or Void for that matter—didn't give me back my power to create or even time travel—which would have been useful in traveling back in time to prevent my capture. What the game did give me back was my super (or hyper) speed.

It isn't much, true. But, with my speed back I believe that I can do more than what I had been doing before and can quickly get this stupid game over and done with.

"Will you quit that," Emma said, sounding exasperated. "You look creepy."

"Hey, you can't blame me, this is like one big step forward—getting one of my powers back, I mean."

"Speed isn't a power, Daniel," Emma sighed, "It's an ability. One that we all have."

"Power, ability, they're just semantics," I shrugged, glad that Emma still wasn't showing me any forms of hostility, even though she still looks at me warily.

I can't say that I haven't been eyeing her curiously either. Because I have. She was different, really different from the Emma that I had been with—the Emma that I had created from my memory. Sure she's still that enviro-girl that we love and respect. Sure she still _looks_ like Emma only a bit older. But, even so, I can feel that there's something different about her and that feeling made me feel awkward at first.

But, that awkwardness was something that I had been fighting with. Whether she was the real Emma, whether by some miracle she really is alive and this isn't just a part of the twisted game, I was really happy to see her and know that she isn't a fragment of my imagination.

"Speaking of powers, why didn't I know of that earth-thing before?" I asked.

It was Emma's turn to grin, "It came suddenly, a while after you and your family left. It sure did surprise everyone. They didn't see it coming, not even in the tests. Which helped us escape our captors. Unfortunately, we didn't see Void and his crew…and that's how we ended up here."

"And by 'we' you mean-?"

"Everyone. Me, Joe, Willy, and Dana. Although, I haven't come across Dana yet," She replied, her brow furrowed.

I didn't know what to say, how to tell Emma what I had seen and what I know about the person that could possibly be Dana. I had thought about not saying anything, and was just about to do that, when Emma noticed the look on my face.

"You know something, don't you?" She said.

"Wha-what?" I asked, surprised. "No. No, of course not. What could I possibly know?"

She looked intently at me and I tried not to squirm in her gaze. After a while she said, "You have that look on your face. A look I clearly remember is one that says you're hiding something. Just like how you looked when you tried to hide the fact that you and your family were leaving for Terra Firma."

_I have that look? Why didn't anyone tell me I have that look?_

"Maybe I do know something but, even I'm not sure about it," I resigned myself.

"Speak," came the command as we continued walking through the eerily deserted suburban town that was the sixth level of the game.

I sighed before I spoke, "I don't think Dana is in the game."

"What makes you say that?" She asked, "Did Void tell you that she's your prize when you complete the game?"

"Wh-wha-what?" I couldn't help stuttering and I almost tripped on my own, two feet with what she had just said.

"Oh, come on, if you're the real Daniel, you know what I'm talking about. It's not like it's a great big secret of the cosmos,"

"I really don't understand what you're talking about, Em," It wasn't a lie, not really. I mean, I have no idea what this not-so-big-secret is.

"Dana." Emma said a-matter-of-factly. "You and Dana to be more precise. I remember how you always follow her around, like you're some sort of bodyguard. It's not like you hid how much you like her. I figured, since you seem to think that Dana isn't in the game, that that's what—or, in this case, _who_—your prize in the game is. Dana, I mean."

"I…I did what?" This was the first time I ever heard that. Blaleen and the others back at Alpar Nok never told me about that. They said I was close with my _drang_, not just one person. "You're kidding, right? I did not 'hound' anybody."

There was a knowing look on her eyes when she turned to speak, "Oh, I'm not kidding. But, that's beside the point. The point is, how can you be sure that Dana isn't in the game other than the fact that Void had put her as your prize should you complete this stupid game?"

"Because I saw her," I answered, softly. "I saw her. She was the one who sent me here, under Void's orders."

"That's…That's impossible!" Emma whirled around and I thought for a moment—from the anger that flared in her eyes—that she was going to use the earth to swallow me up just like what she did with the missile launcher. "Dana would never follow Void. She would never listen to him!"

"That's what I thought, too. I thought that perhaps she isn't Dana but..."

We stood there in silence. I didn't know what more to say after that, but, in the end I opted to ask her something that was bothering me.

"You said 'prize'. What do you mean?"

"Every game has a prize, even a video game—that's what Void told us when we first began," Emma answered before she took a step forward, continuing on the path we have chosen while we were looking for the exit. "He, Void, took something from others while he dangled some desirable thing to some as a form of a prize—something that would make the players of his game want to play."

"An incentive…"

Emma nodded, "Survival and freedom aren't the only things that most of the players in this game, if not all of them, are fighting for."

I didn't know if I should press her further. I didn't know if it would be alright for me to know what it is that Void had baited her with. But, I didn't have to ask, Emma was the one who chose to open up with me about it.

"My parents. Both Willy and I, we're both fighting for our parents."

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Ah, yes, I know…This chapter is short. Well, I kind of figured that it would be best to cut the chapter with Emma telling Daniel about the 'prize' that she and Willy are fighting for. I do promise to try and make the next chapter a bit longer.

Anyways, I've read the real Game Over book from JP and, I have to say, besides the Daniel and Dana moments that we've been fed in the book, I can't say I actually liked how it all played out. Compared to the first three books, the fourth one isn't as good as I would have liked. I suppose you can say that that is the reason why I really tried to find time to update this fanfic.

I have to thank the people who have reviewed this story—the other half of the reason why I have updated. This chapter had been a long time coming.

Hmmm…what else?

Well, there's nothing much left to say other than: please review!

Until the next chapter, this is Sakura Martinez saying "PEACE!" and signing out!


	7. Chapter 7

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

It seems I only needed a little bit of push to continue working on this fanfic, even though I still have, like, four more books on my recently-purchased-books that I need to finish reading.

Anyways, thank you again for the reviews and for sticking with this fanfic even though the updates aren't as regular as I would have liked. I won't keep you guys from reading this recent chapter, so…I'll say all I want to say later in the Post Author's Note section again.

Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

**End of Author's Notes**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I _do_ own is the idea for this fanfic and this fanfic itself.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

"Your…parents?" I was stunned with what Emma had just told me. "Void has your parents?"

Emma nodded, not looking back at me as we continued on our way. The whole place was quiet, there was not a single sound save for our conversation and the fall of our boots on the gravel.

"I don't know how he got hold of them or even how he knew they were our parents but I suppose it was just coincidence that he found them. Maybe Seth got hold of our parents and sent them here for who-knows-what reason, either way, one thing is clear: Willy and I have to finish this game and we have to do so while following Void's rules, unless we don't want to see our parents again."

"But, how can you trust that you _will_ see them again?" I couldn't help but ask. I was skeptical about Void keeping his word. He is part of the list of aliens that would undoubtedly want to destroy the human race, among other races, and wreck havoc where there is peace…and all that stuff. "How do you know that Void won't just do whatever he pleases with them? Or that they're even still alive? Their Alparians—just like us. They're the vain in the existence of all intergalactic terrorists."

"Willy and I, not to mention Joe-Joe, thought about that. It's more than just not having a choice, Daniel. There have been players in this game who had managed to complete it and they got what Void promised them,"

"How do you know that?" It was strange that I was reasoning with Emma about it. In most of my adventures—if not all of them—it was Emma and Dana who were the ones always reasoning with me. Them and my parents.

"Because we came to know something about Void and this whole game, something that—if we didn't learn about—would have seriously dampen our hope and would have caused me to voice out the same questions that you are asking me." Emma replied.

"And that something is?"

Emma shook her head, "It's better that learn for yourself."

I was about to protest when she cut me off, "And you will learn about it once we find a way to Joe-Joe. He's the only one of us who can move through the levels with ease and we need to get to a particular level to answer most of your questions and some of mine."

I nodded and even though I have, like, a hundred, thousand questions—okay, so maybe more like ten or so questions—I decided to be patient and wait until we get to this level that Emma was talking about.

We walked in companionable silence after that, passing houses that all look as identical to one another as they are deserted. It was like no one had lived here for years and, considering that this was a level of a video game designed by Void, I suppose I shouldn't have been expecting him to populate it with humans.

Although, one has to wonder why Void would choose this setting for a level.

I shrugged the thought away, getting inside Void's head—figuratively speaking, of course—was something that I would never be able to do.

* * *

It is quite surprising how fast time moved while we were walking through the suburbs. Even quite surprising is the fact that we have yet to see the flag that would mark the end of a level nor come across anything or anyone whether friend or foe.

Soon, darkness enveloped us as the afternoon dwindled into the night.

Seeing as there wasn't any secluded area in the level and since there were abandoned houses all around us, Emma and I decided to make use of them.

There wasn't anything to say about the house we chose considering that there wasn't anything extra-ordinary about it, well, not counting the fact that there was water, electricity, and that the furniture and fixtures of the house was still intact and fully functional.

Okay, so maybe that was extra-ordinary.

Anyways, like I've said, everything was in working order, even the kitchen and the stove and refrigerator that was in it was working. Not only that but, upon inspection of the refrigerator, we found that the food inside wasn't spoiled and was, as Emma pointed out, edible.

"Something's up," I said, shaking my head as I closed the refrigerator's door. "Void is planning _something_."

"I agree that this whole house, this whole level is suspicious—more so than the other levels we've been through—but, I don't think we need to worry about a possible case of food poisoning if we make use of the supplies there," Emma pointed out. How she could be so sure was beyond me.

Even before I could voice out another one of my protests, Emma had pushed me away from the refrigerator and had opened it once more and grabbed a couple of things—lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cheese, and potato—before walking towards the cabinet where we had found several loaves of bread. There she grabbed two loaves before sauntering towards the dining table, lining up all of the things she was carrying.

"What…are you doing?" I asked, even though I was perfectly aware what it was she was doing.

"Preparing dinner," was her answer. "I would have liked to cook but that would be giving away our position too much."

"And the lights on this house aren't doing that enough?" I really didn't get it. "They would know that we're here just by looking for the only house whose lights are turned on, Em."

"They won't know which house we're in. I'm not as easy-going or naïve as you think I am, Daniel. I've survived a long time even before you came into the picture—or returned to the picture, if you are telling the truth about your identity. I turned on the lights on a couple of the houses that we passed by."

"When? When did you manage to do that?"

Emma shook her head, "Really, Daniel. Quit with the questions. You've done nothing but ask one question after another and it's turning out to be quite a hassle answering your every query."

"Fine, I'll quit with all the questions as long as you answer that last question I threw at you." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I told you that I can control the earth, right?" Emma replied, putting a stop to her dinner preparations and leaning back on the table while she spoke to me. "That control also comes with a little bit of an extra ability. I can feel the flow of electricity on the ground or on anything that was made with the earth and on the earth. If I focus my energy to it, I could find a light switch and flick it open or off."

And, just to show me that she can do what she claims she can do, she turned the lights on the other room on and said, "Just like that."

I was about to ask how the power over earth and electricity are related but the look that Emma gave me—the one that told me she was tired of my questions—shut me up. Seeing that I had gotten her silent message, she went back to fixing our diner after ushering me out of the kitchen.

Diner—unsurprisingly—turned out to be a vegetable sandwich—a vegan dish that only Emma, our resident vegetarian, would have picked for diner.

I didn't complain, though. Without my powers I couldn't call forth a hotdog sandwich, or a pepperoni pizza, or a baked macaroni, or a bucket of fried chicken to satiate my hunger. Heck, I couldn't even create from my mind a bottle of water. And so, I ate my share of the food.

It's not that I don't like vegetables. It's that I want meat to go along with it.

After a couple of minutes of silence while we ate my diner, I couldn't keep it in any more and so I decided to brave the waters and voice out to Emma the thing that had gripped my curiosity ever since we had met—or reunited, depending on how you would look at it.

"You know, I was wondering, you told me that Seth's minions were the ones who found you, right? Why didn't he kill you guys when he had the chance? Why did he choose to hand you guys over to Void?"

Emma sighed. It was a d_o-I-really-have-to-be-the-one-to-tell-you?_ sigh.

"I really don't want to remember that day, Daniel," she said, her voice sounding weary. "But, if you must know, I think Seth didn't kill us because he thought he could _use_ us."

"Use you?"

Emma nodded before she resumed with her story, "We were just kids. Innocent kids. But Alparians nonetheless. I don't know the real reason behind it but, I suppose Ergent Seth believed that if he could brainwash us, he could manipulate us to do his bidding."

"Back then, our powers—our gifts—weren't as strong as they are now but it was enough to rouse Seth's mind and his curiosity. We…we were scared and we didn't know what else to do. We may have been in the academy training and studying to become Alien Hunters but we've only just begun learning. In the end, we decided to play along with Seth and wait for the opportunity to escape."

"Our chance came when Joe's powers finally manifested itself. With it we managed to get out of our cells and off of Seth's ship, making use of one of his escape pods. You can imagine the feeling of triumph we got when we, a bunch of kids, managed to fool Seth and escape with our lives but…that feeling was fleeting. Before we knew it, we've landed straight into the hands of another alien."

"Void?" I asked.

Another nod from Emma.

"Seth didn't hand us over to Void, Daniel. Void was right there waiting for us as soon as our escape pods flew out of Seth's ship." Emma's brow was furrowed as she spoke, as if she was thinking hard about something. "It was so frustrating that we managed to escape one captor only to find ourselves at the hands of another, a much more sinister individual. At first we hoped that he would see us as humans who were abducted by Seth but Void managed to see beyond our skin and he knew what we were—Alparians."

"Void didn't waste any time after that and, before we knew it, we were thrown into this game with no idea how to actually finish it. So, we've been stuck here ever since. And then, a couple of years after that, Void played a transmission from the alien—the Prayer."

The name of the alien whom I have been after, the alien who is the number one on The List, and the very same alien who had caused me pain and suffering—who had taken my family from me—made me feel a mixture of fear and anger. Fear for what power he may possess, since The List doesn't say much. And anger at what he had done to my parents and, in a way to Porkchop, er, Brenda—my unborn sister.

But, at the moment, there was nothing I could do but clench my teeth and ball my fist so hard that my knuckles turned white.

_Someday,_ I told myself. _Someday I'll be ready for you Number 1. And when that day comes you're going to wish that you hadn't crossed my way._

My own reverie was interrupted when Emma continued with her story. "The Prayer was gloating. He said he had done everyone 'good' in eliminating the Alien Hunters—Alien Hunters that were stationed at Terra Firma. He told everyone who was viewing that transmission that the planet was open for conquering for anyone who wishes to do so, that Terra Firma—that Earth—was now a playground for aliens. But, even as he was saying those things, he still sounded worried."

"We knew that Terra Firma was the place where you and your family went. It didn't take long for us to connect, and to realize, that your family was the Alien Hunters he was talking about." Emma paused before she exhaled one, shaky breath. "We were devastated. We were supposed to head there, to Terra Firma in the hope of meeting with you and your family. That was supposed to be the only place left for us to go, after what happened to Alpar Nok."

I nodded, deciding that it was my time to share what had happened with me. "I was three years old that night when The Prayer came and murdered my parents. He wanted something from them. He wanted The List."

"The List of Alien Outlaws?" Emma asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Yes, that same list. My parents had it, as they should, and The Prayer wanted it for himself. How he knew that my parents have it or where we were is one of the many mysteries of that night. I think my dad was about to hand it over to him to ensure our safety when The Prayer decided to kill them. He would've killed me too if I hadn't turned into a tick and hid from him. A few years after that I came back to our burnt up house in Kansas to search for The List and when I found it, I've been doing what my parents would have been doing if they were still alive."

"So, that's how you survived…" There was a tinge of awe in Emma's voice. "So, you have the list?"

_Ah, that was the question, was it?_

"Yeah…but, I'm not really comfortable talking about The List's whereabouts in a place where Void can easily overhear and snoop into our conversation." I said, letting show how uncomfortable I was about it. Void could easily get The List from me right now if he wanted to. "It would be dangerous if The List falls into the wrong hands, after all."

"As long as you're keeping it safe, then I guess I don't have any problems with that." She shrugged.

An hour had passed since then and, as I lay on the couch (since the house only had one room and though I would have loved to sleep on a bed, I decided to give that comfort to Emma instead), I couldn't help but wonder why Void wasn't interested with taking The List from me?

I tried to recall our conversation before he sent me into this game and while the whole "Tutorial" thing was going on but, all I can gather, for why he is doing this is because Number 2 needed some entertainment. That I was sent here purely for the purpose of entertaining alien scumbags—much like how Number 5 wanted.

But, the thing was, apart from taking my life—which doesn't seem to interest Void much unlike all the other aliens I've come across and exchanged blows (along with sarcastic comments) with—Void didn't at all seem interested about the list.

And it made me wonder: _Is entertainment all Void wants out of this?_

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

I sure hope that this update comes as a pleasant surprise to everyone who following this story. It's been a while since I felt the rush that only comes with writing these stories since I am, at the moment, working on the final stages of reading the proofread and edited version of my book (which, hopefully, will be published soon!).

Anyways, what do you guys think? I hope I didn't make any mistake with regards to the history. This chapter, although longer than the last, is still pretty short but I do hope it's juicer. I wanted to add a bit of background on Emma and the other members of the _drang_ to "speed things up a bit". I do hope that the history wasn't confusing to anyone.

Well, that's all for now. Please, don't forget to review, okay? Your reviews means a lot to me and it also tells me that people _are_ actually reading this.

Until the next chapter, this is Sakura Martinez saying "PEACE!" and signing out!


	8. Chapter 8

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Nope. No Author's Notes in this section but, I do hope you guys will read the Post Author's Notes below. :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I _do_ own is the idea for this fanfic and this fanfic itself.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

I stood at the beach, the waves lapping on the shore, the sound drifting to my ears making me feel the relaxation that had evaded me for so long.

I didn't bother to question what I was doing in such a place. I knew I was dreaming.

My short, blond hair flew with the gentle breeze and I continued standing there, waiting. I'm not sure what or who exactly I was waiting for but I knew that I wouldn't be able to get out of this dream world unless someone wakes me up in the land of the living or if the person I'm supposed to meet, or an event I'm supposed to see, has done its part.

It was pretty much the same thing that happens when my dad and I train—this state between awake and dreaming. But, I really didn't think my dad was the one who called for me. After all, my dad—much like my mom and Porkchop—is nothing more than a figment of my memory, something created with my power and with my powers gone for the moment, I really didn't have the means to communicate with them.

It seemed like a long time had passed and I was beginning to grow tired of waiting when I heard the footsteps.

Whirling around, I found myself staring at the face of a person I never imagined meeting at that place.

Myself.

"What the-!" was the first thing that came out of my mouth as I stumbled backwards, my feet landing on the cold water.

"You don't have to look that surprised, you know." The other me said. A small grin was plastered on his face. "We have the power to create so it's only natural that you can also create another 'you'."

"But, that can't be right. I don't have that power right now! Void he-"

The other "me" cut me off, "He took away said powers. I know, I know. I am you, after all. But, that doesn't mean that I can't talk to you like this. I'm not that much connected to your powers, unlike the others. Sure I wouldn't actually exist without them outside of this place but I am connected to your sub-consciousness so such things don't concern me. Does that make sense?"

"But you said-!"

"I know what I said." He sighed. "I can't explain it because you can't explain it, too but…unlike you, I can feel that these things that I am saying, these words that I am speaking, are true."

I was confused.

"What am I doing here? Don't tell me you're the one who called me here." I asked, knowing full well that our conversation would only get much more confusing if I kept pestering myself about my other self.

"Just wanted to chat, that's all," the other Daniel X said.

I stared at him, not really believing that he went through all that trouble just to have a casual chat about me. After a short while, I noticed the look that Emma had mentioned to me before—the look that said I was hiding something.

"Emma was right," I shook my head. "I really do have that look."

The other "me" looked at me with a confused expression on his face, and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing." I shook the thought away, "So, why are you really here?"

The other Daniel looked past me and towards the sea and the sky that stretched before us before he spoke, "You're taking too long, Daniel."

"What? Taking too long?" It was my turn to look confused. "Too long at doing what, exactly?"

"Getting this over and done with," he replied. "You're taking your time, way too much at that, trying to finish this stupid game that Void made. It looks as though you're dilly-dallying."

"I'm not." I protested. "I can't really rush into things right now without my powers. Super speed, strength, and durability can only do so much for me. I have to get my powers back first, and to do that, I have to play this stupid game."

"Are you sure that that's the only reason? Are you really sure that there's nothing more than that?"

"What are you saying?" I demanded to know, but I could guess where it was heading.

But, instead of answering my question, the other "me" simply turned away and disappeared.

* * *

I woke up to the chime of the grandfather clock out by the hallway. The twelve chimes told me what time it was without me actually checking.

It was midnight.

I groaned. I had hoped that, upon waking up from that half-dream state, that it would be morning, at least. But no such luck. It had only been three hours since I fell asleep. Six more hours before we move out and continue our search for the flag.

I knew that I wasn't going to fall back to sleep any time soon, and so, I didn't bother to try. Sitting up, I decided to mull over my predicament.

_Was what that other "me" saying true? Am I really prolonging this whole thing with Void? I don't think I am but I also can't help but want to keep on holding onto the possibility that what Emma said is true—that she really is the real Emma; that Willy, Joe, and Dana are just as alive as she is…_

_I know what I told myself in that dream is true. I can't go rushing off to fight against Void without my powers. True, I could have ended it quicker if I wasn't ambushed but I can't time travel to change that._

_But, when I think about it, I really am dilly-dallying. Emma and I, we didn't have to casually talk while we were walking to get here. We could have used our speed to our advantage and plowed through this level searching for that damn flag. But we didn't…is that what's bothering my…sub-consciousness?_

I thought about it for a while. In the end, I did find my answer.

I was…afraid. Afraid that the fact that the members of my _drang_ is alive might be too good to be true. I was afraid that, if I moved too fast; if I finished this whole game too fast, that hope that they might really be alive would be crushed and the hole that they had left—the hole in my heart that was reserved for them, that was healing now with the knowledge that they had survived the First Strike—would consume me; would make me feel empty and alone all over again.

You would have thought that, being able to recreate my family and my friends would keep me from feeling lonely. After all, I can call on them whenever I wished. But, that's not really true. I miss them so much more every time I create them from my memories because I knew that they were just that—memories. That there was no hope that they would come back, that they would exist outside my power.

And that's why I wanted to make sure, I wanted to really believe in Emma's story. I wanted to believe in the hope that it carried that I won't be alone any more.

I was still mulling over all of those things when I heard an wailing sound. A sound that sent shivers down my spine. And, let me tell you, that rarely happens to me. I'm not the kind of person who gets goosebumps but, when another wail followed, and another after that, well, I was feeling the goosebumps.

When the fifth wail resounded across the neighborhood, I was already on my feet and the door to the lone bedroom was open, Emma standing in front of it, her short, black hair disheveled, looking as though a bird's ready to use it as its nest.

Of course, I didn't tell her that. I knew, based from experience and from the encyclopedic knowledge in my head, that you don't want to tell a girl how messy her hair is unless you would want to feel her wrath. I suppose you can say that that goes for Alparians, too.

"What is that sound?" I asked. Never in my life had I heard such sound.

"That…is the sound that tells us we have to get out of here…and fast!" Emma said, taking an elastic band from her pants' pocket and tying her hair with it.

I didn't bother to ask a question. The look of panic on her face was enough to tell me that what was out there was bad. Really, _really_ bad. And so, I simply wore my boots back on and followed her to the house's back door.

One thing I should have realized, though—based on past experiences, and whatnot—was that, if a house has a backdoor, there is a chance that whatever is pursuing you would know about it, especially if the house was located at your pursuers home turf.

So, yeah, when Emma opened the door, we were greeted by what I could only describe as the foulest, most putrid, most gag-worthy pack on undead creatures I have ever seen—whether in a video game or a movie.

I guess I couldn't really blame Emma when she screamed like a girl (because, despite being an earth-controlling, electricity-sensing, and possible Alien Hunter alien, Emma _is_ still a girl) when one of the said creatures, grabbed her hand.

She quickly made said creature regret doing that by giving it a good kick at the gut just as she yanked her hand back. After that, in her panic-induced state, she did what I had heard Joe say was a clichéd mistake heroines make on video games—she used her powers to lock as both back inside the house.

"I cannot believe…I mean…those are…ugh…I have to take a bath!" Emma was practically screaming, the arm which the zombie grabbed was stretched out as far away from the rest of her body as she could manage.

Even though we were screwed, I couldn't help but laugh at the expression of pure terror and disgust that was written all over her face.

"W-what?" She asked.

"Sorry, i-it's nothing." I said, trying to stifle my laughter.

Emma scoffed before she went to the bathroom, the sound of rushing water along with her constant words of disgust at having been touched by a zombie, as well as the sound of the howling creatures flooded the house that had been barricaded thanks to her power.

"I really think that we've just screwed ourselves big time with what you did with your power, Emma," I told her as soon as she came out of the bathroom. "How are we supposed to get out of here?"

"I…I haven't thought of that..." She admitted.

She looked so stunned that she hadn't thought that far ahead. And she quickly blamed it on the zombie grabbing her, followed by an apology due to her lack of judgment.

I didn't blame her, though. I think even I would have lost my cool if a zombie suddenly grabbed me, especially if said zombie is as gross as the ones that were waiting for us outside the house.

A couple of minutes later, Emma was pacing the room while I was keeping watch on the few, small crevices that allowed me to peer through the wall of earth that had encased the doors and the windows and to the living dead that were converging on the lawn.

"You know what we need?" I asked, and the moment that question was out of my mouth, Emma stopped her pacing and looked expectantly at me, like I had a solution to our current dilemma.

"What?" She asked, sounding hopeful.

"Plants." I answered.

She looked at me like I had lost my mind, "Plants?"

"Yeah, you know. This kinda feels like a real, live version of that game, _Plants VS Zombies_."

"I…have no idea what you're talking about but you are using our time and your brain in completely pointless things!" She clearly didn't like how I tried to lighten the mood. My joke, fell flat.

I shrugged the feeling of failure and tried to figure out a way that we can get out of the house and away from the hundreds of zombies that were waiting outside—with more along the way.

"We could try outrunning them." I said.

"That won't work. Even with our speed they would be able to catch up to us in no time." Emma explained. "Even though they are, basically, corpses, they're really, _really_ fast. Maybe even faster than both of us."

I whistled. Being able to match speeds with Alparians was rare. Our speed, much like our other abilities and gifts help us with our mission as Alien Hunters—protectors of our own sectors and niches in the whole cosmos.

"Well, I can't fight them, not without my power," I told her, even though I hated to admit to being powerless and helpless at the moment. I really didn't think that going toe-to-toe with zombies would do me any good if they are as fast as Emma claims them to be. "Can you swallow them up again, like how you did with the missile launcher?"

"With how many there are, I could put ourselves in danger with it," Emma answered, shaking her head. "The house may end up collapsing if I even force the earth open under them."

"How about cage them in a sort of earth-prison-thing?" I was throwing one idea after another. "That would work, right?"

"It would but we may end up being caged further in," She shot that idea off, too.

I was about to return to the drawing table of my thoughts when a sudden and powerful explosion rocked the surrounding of the house. It was so strong, so powerful, that I had to grab hold of the windowsill to make sure that I don't fall flat on the floor. Emma, on the other hand, chose to use the sofa for support.

"What the heck was that?" I asked, not bothering with the fact that my voice was shaking. "Don't tell me we have another problem besides the fact that we're stuck here with hordes of zombies waiting outside to kill us!"

When I took a look at Emma, thinking that she might be worried about the explosion, and the next one that rocked after that, I was surprised to see that, instead of worry and confusion, her face was filled with disbelief. Her eyes, from what I could see, was twinkling with childlike wonder.

"What-?" I was about to ask her, and seeing from the way her mouth was moving, I could only guess that she was about to say something, maybe answer my unasked question, when we were both cut-off from whatever we were going to say by a loud, booming voice.

A voice that I had _heard_ before.

A voice that was _impossible_ to forget.

"Don't mess with me!" The person causing such mayhem shouted.

It wasn't hard to figure out who it was, and turning to face Emma, we both said in unison the name of culprit.

"Willy!"

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

I made a big gaffe with the previous chapters, making a typo with regards to the planet where our heroes had come from. I wrote "Alpak Nor" when it should have been "Alpar Nok", so sorry about that.

Also, I've changed the Alpak Norian to Alparians as what they are known (I knew I made a mistake somewhere!) Sooo…yeah…

So, there you have it. The eight chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and I also hope that you would grace me with a review. I was wondering, as I didn't manage to ask this before, but…what grade would you give the real Game Over book by JP? Based on the previous books? Give me your answer via your reviews, if you can, okay? Good!

Another thing, I _think_ I won't be able to upload another chapter this week. My family and I are heading to Manila tomorrow and we will be staying there for two days. After that, I have to work on some important stuff for my book. I will try to squeeze some time into updating this, though...but, I don't want to promise any chapters this week. So, yeah...sorry about that.

Well, that's that…Until the next chapter, this is Sakura Martinez saying "PEACE!" and signing out!


	9. Chapter 9

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I really didn't think that I'd be able to update this fanfic this week. After all, there are a couple of things I'm busy on (not to mention that, at the moment of this writing, I am hours away from watching the American Idol finalists perform on their concert tour).

Anyways, this is an unexpected update but I hope that you guys will enjoy this. I couldn't really make this longer than this since I'm working on this using my phone...so, yeah...just enjoy the chapter, okay?

* * *

**Disclaimer**:

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I _do_ own is the idea for the fanfic and this fanfic itself.

* * *

**Summary**:

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. But, when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

Emma ran towards me and the only peephole in the whole house. I guess she wanted to see her brother. As I thought of that, I also began to wonder what they are doing, trying to complete this game by themselves instead of working together. I made a mental note to ask them that later...supposing that Willy doesn't try to shoot my brains out.

I could hear Willy shouting curses at the zombies as he fired his gun-which, judging from the sound was an Opus 24/24, the same weapon that The Prayer used to murder my parents-at the hordes of zombies. From what I could see through the shared peephole that Emma and I were using, Willy looked as though he was a one-man-army. Being the weapons expert that he is, I could think of no better compliment than that at the moment.

The eerie wails were still echoing through the suburban town coupled with howls and moans from the zombies and the explosions caused by the Opus...and, of course, Willy.

"Hey, Em, I don't think it's a good idea to watch this now..." I said, my voice sounding wary as Willy started to move towards the house, taking every, single, undead down along the way.

I couldn't see it very well, but I could hear the sound of flesh hitting the ground in a sort of squishy-way and I knew that Willy was making use the Opus 24/24's full power. And, he was doing so in close range.

_Which means that those things are getting blown up to pieces..._

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, not bothering to look away.

I really didn't know if _this_ Emma was as squeamish about decapitated corpses or internal organs splattering on the ground and flying around, but considering how she reacted when one of the zombies grabbed her, I could only think that-like most girls-she was just as squeamish.

But, before I could tell her what I meant; before I could explain about the way Willy was dealing with our enemies. She got to see it for her own.

She screamed and jumped back. Just in time, too since, if she stayed glued to her spot, she would have been splattered by an icky, black liquid which I could only guess was the zombie's blood. And, mixed with that liquid was a chunk of decaying flesh.

"Oh. My. God!" Emma said as she turned around and ran back to the bathroom. Seconds later, I could hear her puking her guts out.

I think my stomach's built with sturdier stuff after all the alien-hunting adventures I've been through. After all, I've seen my fair share of decapitation, flying body parts and internal organs, and blood from the aliens that I have fought and conquered. And, I have also been covered by said mess.

I shuddered at the memory of how I managed to defeat Seth. It was one of the memories that I would rather not think about. Although, beating the alien that destroyed your planet by transforming into one of the most awesome creatures on the whole universe (it's an Elephant, if you're wondering) is one of the memories of that battle that I enjoyed reliving.

Glancing back at Emma, who was still bent over the toilet, I knew I had to clean up the mess that had flown inside the house. Unfortunately, there wasn't an extra bucket or a mop that I could use. I shook my head as I pushed the sofa to hide the gory mess instead.

"I don't think that's going to help," Emma said, her voice sounding hoarse as she emerged from the bathroom a minute later. "Just because I can't see it doesn't mean I don't remember the...the..."

"Then stop talking and thinking about it!" I had to shout for her to hear me above the roar of the Opus. Turning to face the direction of where the noise was coming from and unable to see what was going on, I could only imagine Willy combing through the entire neighborhood and killing every single undead he could find.

"Your brother sure is trigger-happy," I commented.

Emma shrugged, the paleness in her skin receding. "He's Willy. He lives for the thrill of battle."

"Huh, that's not how I remember him." I said, thinking back to the Willy that I had always by my side and wondering if I got his personality wrong.

"Well, you never saw Willy wield a weapon when we were kids, right?" She asked, then added, "Willy's knowledgeable with weapons-that's his gift, sure. But, what makes him 'special' is that he's good with any weapon-regardless if he had seen or heard of it before. The moment he touches a weapon, he knows how to use it to its full capability."

I nodded. Not sure what to say about that but knowing that I would not like to be at the other end of whatever weapon Willy wields.

* * *

It took a while before the battle-and Willy's rampage-came to an end. The lull that came after it was quite deafening and I readied myself for what Willy's reaction upon seeing me again would be the moment he called for his sister.

"Hey, Emma! You can come out of that house now!" He shouted. "They've all been taken care of!"

"Okay, hold on a minute!" was Emma's reply before she turned to look at me. "Willy's going to be as skeptical as I am of who you are but...I guess he'd be happy to know that you're alive, Daniel."

When I saw her brow furrowed, I knew that there was no hiding the worry that I feel. Especially not when Emma asked, "Why do you look like you're going to be sick?"

"Uh, did I mention to you that I've already met your brother before?" I asked and I wasn't sure if my voice sounded shaky or not.

"That's great!" She said, clapping her hands together. "Then we won't need to go through all that trouble of-"

I cut her off before she could continue, "He tried to shoot my head off!"

That, undoubtedly, shut Emma up. It took a couple of seconds before she asked, "What?"

At the same time, Willy shouted, "Hey, what's taking you so long, Em!"

"In a second!" Emma shouted back, before turning back to me and saying, "Did you say that my _brother_ shot _at_ you? Why? Didn't you introduce yourself to him?"

"Yeah, I did and he didn't believe me. He didn't even give me time to prove to him who I am-or at least, time to find a way to prove to him who I am...unlike you." I replied, then I remembered something about my first encounter with Willy, "Come to think of it, what he told me doesn't make sense with what _you_ told me."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I told him who I was, when I said that we were in Terra Firma, he didn't believe me," I said as I began to recall how our exchange had gone and knowing that I have to hurry to explain things to Emma before Willy decided to just blast through the thick wall that kept us from getting out and him getting in. "He said that we were in Alpar Nok. He said that he also heard that Ergent Seth was defeated when I told him that we weren't Alpar Nok and that the last time we were there was when I defeated Seth. Anyway, it was a confusing exchange with him. But, what he said and what you said don't add up."

"What I told you was an abridged version of our story, Daniel." Emma said as she began to focus on putting the walls down. "My brother, during the escape, kind of hit his head. He didn't forget anything but, from time to time, he would get his memories all jumbled up."

"Well, that explains some things but..."

"I know you're worried, but if I'm the one who talks to him about you, I'm sure he wouldn't kill you...not unless you prove to be an imposter." Her eyes flashed dangerously, "If that is the case, Daniel...I don't even want to think about what we're going to do to you, but it's not something you would definitely like."

I wasn't sure if Willy would listen to her and I was definitely worried about _my_ safety.

* * *

"You!" Growled Willy the moment that he saw me, when Emma and I emerged from the house and into an apocalyptic setting. "What are you doing with my sister!"

I raised my hands up in surrender and looked at Emma for help when her brother decided that the Opus 24/24 had one more thing to blow up.

"Willy, stop!" Emma said, getting in between me and her trigger-happy brother. "He's not our enemy. He's Daniel X."

"That's what he told me, but I am not as quick to believe him as you," Willy spat, "He can't be Daniel. Daniel is _dead_!"

"I told you before that I'm _not_ dead!" I shouted at him. I was getting tired of hearing people I know say that I am dead, or am supposed to be dead. "Besides, you don't have any proof to say that the Daniel you know is dead."

"Proof? You're asking about proof when you can't even prove that you are indeed Daniel X!" argued Willy who still hadn't put the gun down, even though Emma was right in front of him.

"He knows Blaleen, Willy," Emma supplied, even though we both know that that won't be enough.

"So? Anyone who knows Graff knows about his mother," Willy pointed out. "It doesn't prove that this guy really is Daniel. Unless you have something more concrete, I suggest you move out of the way Emma and let me deal with this imposter."

I sighed as an idea formed in my head. I wasn't sure if it would still work or if it's such a big deal, but, at that moment, I decided to give it a try.

I mumbled the words and it caused both Emma and Willy to stop their bickering and ask, "What?"

I repeated what I had said, in a louder voice than before, "Stinky boy."

The cold hatred that was burning in Willy's eyes when he saw me and demanded that I stay away from his sister and when he said that I was an imposter, vanished and was replaced by a glimmer of hope and a large-scaled surprise.

"No one knows about that nickname except for Daniel's family and the _drang_!" Willy gasped. The hand holding the abominable weapon shook as if he was having a hard time pointing that thing at me.

I held my breath, not really knowing if I had just saved myself from writing the words: 'The End' and prematurely drawing my life's story to a close. It was only when Willy placed the weapon at its holster-which was slung on his back-did I manage to exhale the breath that, until then, I didn't realize I was holding.

"Are you really him? Is it really you, Daniel?" Willy went on. He didn't sound as tough as he was a couple of seconds ago.

"Yeah, I've been telling you that since we first saw each other. I really am Daniel X."

"But...how did you survive?" Emma's brother asked and I was forced to narrate an abridged version of my story, all the while wondering how that nickname-Stinky Boy-could so easily save my life.

_Is there some kind of story about it that I am unaware of?_

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

So, there! Chapter done and I am still nowhere near sleepy.

I suppose you guys can guess that this fanfic will, at some point, try to explain one thing that JP failed to expound on-Daniel's nickname. Sure, it was mentioned on the first book but, after that, no one bothered digging deeper into the history of said name. I hope to be able to write something decent about it in future chapters.

Anyways, I hope you guys will review this chapter (and, for all those who had been reviewing the previous chapters, I can't thank you enough for your reviews and support).

That's all for now. Until the next chapter, PEACE OUT!


	10. Interlude 1

**A Daniel X Fanfic**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry about the lack of updates during the weekend. I got a hold on a bunch of books I've been waiting to come out and just had to go and read them. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter and thanks to everyone who had been reviewing this little work of mine.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea for the fanfic and this fanfic itself.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. But, when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Interlude 1**

* * *

The hundred of monitors blinked at him, all capturing every single level, every single part of his greatest creation-The Game, but his eyes were fixed on the trio that had just landed on one of his safe zones. Around him, computers bleeped and buzzed, and a handful of aliens rushed about in following his orders. These were not just your average, ordinary, thugs-those that would blindly follow their leader without an ounce of intellect. No, these aliens were ones that he had full confidence in. Aliens who had allied with him and whose loyalties lie with him and not with Number 2.

They were working double-time. He had expected as much after capturing and sending the young alien hunter, Daniel X, into his game. Everything in his game was pre-programed, that was true and the programs-the modules-installed in the game worked with how the player plays the game. Void had made sure of it. In other words, the choices that the players make affect the game and what becomes of its ending.

He, Void, had made sure to make the game hard for the other Alparians. He had made sure to feed them false information just for this moment. He had done so in order to move ahead with his plan.

Aliens like him were driven by ambition, and he, Void was ambitious to a fault which was why he had gone out of his way to capture the alien hunters and to pose that it was all for the entertainment of Number 2 and the other top-ranking aliens in The List.

_The List_, Void mused, a lopsided smile on his lips. It was one of those things that the others had craved, after the life of Daniel X, but, unlike the others he was not interested in The List. Oh no. He didn't need it. After all, why would someone, who had aided in the creation of the list, have any use for it when he could so easily access the data banks for himself?

_Ah, the power of technology. If the others know how to properly utilize it, they would not need to fear The List_.

"Lord Void," an alien whose face looked like a horse's, stepped forward, a clipboard on its hand.

"What is it?" Void asked.

"We've managed to rebuild the footage as you requested," horse-face reported, "It would be aired momentarily."

Void nodded, "Good. Make sure that the dub is clear. Make sure that Number 2 and the others would not doubt it."

"Yes, sir," and the alien walked away.

Void grinned. His boyish features illuminated even further by the lights from the monitors. At first glance, no one would think that he was anything other than a sweet, little boy.

_...and I have Graff and Altrelda to thank for that._

* * *

She watched the largest of the monitors, the camera focused on a blond, haired, boy with blue eyes. Her master, Void, had called him "Daniel X". She was sure that she hadn't met him before, otherwise, one of them would have been dead by now-probably him, after all, she was Void's prized student.

But, even though her master had told her to hate him and the others that were with him, she couldn't find it in her to hate him all the way to her core. There was something about him that seems familiar and...safe. And it was confusing her, making her head spin and giving her a migraine. She wanted to know why. Why does he have that effect on her?

She looked at her hands, remembering the sudden jolt she had felt when she strapped him into the Relocator-the machine that sent him into the game world. It had unnerved her and it was what jumpstart the confusion that she felt. She wanted answers but she knew that Void wasn't going to give it to her. She knew it because she had tried asking him about the alien hunter and his companions. He had kept mum about it, telling her-assuring her-that she had nothing to do with them and shouldn't worry or think about them further.

Still, even with those words, she had her doubts.

She knew what Void had been doing, airing fake footage from the game in order to satiate the thirst for entertainment that Number 2 and the others have. She couldn't help but wonder why. What is it that Void want? The title as the Number 2 most dangerous alien in the Outer Worlds? She knew her master was ambitious but there was something more than that to this whole scheme of his...

..._And it has something to do with that Alparian alien hunter, Daniel X_…

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes**

This is the shortest chapter I have ever written. And I've made it short since this is, after all, simply an interlude.

The next chapter will probably be longer and will continue on where the ninth chapter left off. I'm not sure when I would be able to upload it but, hopefully, I'll be able to squeeze in two chapters this week (not counting this interlude) on my schedule.

Well, I hope you guys review and tell me what you think of the chapter so far. It *_may_* help me update this chapter earlier if you do. :)

That's that. Until the next update!


	11. Chapter 10

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So, with the Interlude chapter out of the way, here is the continuation of the story, as promised. Hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to review! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

I shuddered, feeling as though a hundred thousand spiders were creeping up my back. I had been feeling that way ever since we-or should I say Willy-annihilated all the living dead that had surrounded Emma and I. I knew that feeling well. It was the feeling that I get when I know someone is watching me but I have no idea who or where or what that someone is.

Of course, I have an idea as to who was watching us. Void, and the rest of his minions plus Number 2 and all those other aliens who were taking this as some sort of entertainment. Void had told me that much, I remember. He said that that was what I was-entertainment for Number 2.

Even though I knew that, I can't help shake the feeling that it wasn't just Void and the other aliens. Something else was watching me-watching us. And it unnerved me.

We had already passed through the safe zone. The flag that sent us there appeared shortly after Willy decided that I really was who I claimed I was-Daniel X, alien hunter extraordinaire. I still couldn't understand why, among all the things I have told them, all the possible proofs that I really am their long, lost friend, they decided that it was my nickname-'Stinky boy'-that surpassed it all and proved it all.

I had asked them about it, as soon as we got into the safe zone, but neither of them answered my question. Either they chose to ignore it or they thought I was just testing them to see if they knew the story behind it.

In the safe zone, me and my friends gained two levels. Willy was happy about it, and so was Emma. I, on the other hand, thought that the whole hell we underwent was more than just two-levels-worth. I was annoyed, not only because of the unfairness of this whole leveling system or whatever you call it, but also because I hadn't received any of my powers. I was still stuck with super speed, strength and no creating-things-out-of-thin-air, not even time travelling was returned to me.

It was kind of...I don't know, embarrassing? I guess that was what it was. Embarrassment. I was embarrassed that I was supposed to be this super-awesome-cool-heroic (ahem!) alien hunter that's protecting Terra Firma from all the nasty aliens that would like to destroy it but here I am being the weakest of our little group. Emma has her earth-controlling power, Willy has his arsenal of weapons and his ability to make use of any of them to their fullest potential. It didn't seem fair.

_It's because I'm always the one who's doing most of the fighting with super powers and all_. I couldn't help thinking to myself.

I suppose you can say that I was jealous that they had free control of their powers while Void was playing with me and I still don't have any idea how he could take my powers away from me.

After that horrific encounter with the zombies, the next level we found ourselves in was a desert. Everywhere we looked, there was nothing but sand, cacti, sky, sun, and more sand. It was unbearably hot and we only managed to survive because Emma, with the help of her power, defeated the giant, man-eating (or, in our case, alien-eating) worm that had attacked us while we were setting up camp. It didn't take long for Emma to pound the said creature to dust, after all, she can also control the sand...it is part of the earth.

After that level, each of us gained another level up. But I _still_ didn't get any of my powers back. Same goes for the next safe zone we stumbled into after running away from a rampaging giant in a mountainous region. None of our attacks worked-not Emma's earth attacks or Willy's wave of bullets and lasers and canon-fire, not even a powerful punch from me-and so we just ran the hell out of there. Willy wasn't happy about that. He hated to run away from a fight.

And that is how we got to where we were now, a sewer.

"This...is disgusting," Emma whined as the sewer water sloshed up to our knees. "I should have bathed all day long back at that suburban level if I had known we'd be going from the desert, to the mountains, and _then_to this stinking sewer."

"It's not...so bad," I said, and I really did mean it. The smell wasn't as bad as the smell from the sewer where I fought Orkng Jllfgna.

"Not so bad? Are you kidding, Daniel?" Willy growled. "I have no idea what I just stepped on but I sure as hell don't want to find out."

"Seriously, it's not," I stood by my opinion. "You guys would think that way too if you've ever stepped foot inside one of Terra Firma's sewers," I shuddered before continuing on, "The water here may be dirty and the smell putrid but it's not as bad as those from Earth."

"What were you doing hanging around sewers?" Emma asked. I think she was trying to have it so that the conversation would distract her from the smell and how gross the water feels. "Don't tell me that you were living inside sewers all this time."

"What? No! Of course not!" I scoffed. _What made her think that?_ "I fought one of the aliens on the list on one of the sewers there."

Emma nodded. I wasn't really sure what she was thinking and we all fell into silence as we continued walking through the maze of a sewer. There were so many things I wanted to share with them, so many questions, but I knew that all of those things would have to wait, at least, until we get back into open space, sunlight, and fresh air...and maybe get cleaned up.

"What do you suppose we have to encounter here?" Willy finally asked once we were turning around a corner to who-knows-where.

"Probably another grotesque monster or something," Emma answered, shrugging like it didn't matter what, we would still get through this level.

I agree with her. And, I also agree that we might also be facing another monster. After all, that's what we've been facing so far-monsters, monstrous aliens, alien monsters-they're all the same to me, too.

My mind went back to Joe-Joe. He always did love video games. Well, the Joe-Joe that I have conjured out of my memory did. I'm not really sure about the _real_ Joe that we-or should I say, I-have yet to meet and be re-acquainted with.

_I'm pretty sure he'd be so psyched about all of this,_ I couldn't help but think.

After a long time of trudging and sloshing through the sludge of the sewers, we found ourselves facing an entrance towards a room, illuminated by a single, hanging lightbulb. The light basked the entrance in an orange-y hue, making the sewer water look fouler than it already was.

"What do you suppose the other side has?" Emma asked, gazing at the entrance. "Do you think this level's monster challenge is waiting for us there?"

We couldn't see anything beyond the entrance as it was dark. Even the light from the lightbulb did nothing to lessen the darkness.

I shrugged as Willy answered her sister's question, "What else could possibly be waiting for us?"

"One could always hope that it's not alien-hunter-eating-aliens," I said. "We could really use a break from all the fighting and walking around."

Emma nodded. I knew she agreed with that because even though she can hold her ground, she was tired. Willy was too but he's bursting with so much adrenaline that I doubt he knew he was tired.

"Nothing's gonna happen with us just standing around here, let's get this over and done with," Willy took a step forward, and another, until he finally entered the room.

Emma and I exchanged glances before we both nodded and followed after him.

* * *

"What in the world-" Willy stood, mouth agape at the sight. I couldn't blame him, even I was speechless with confusion.

There, before us, was a large room. A very, _very_ large room. And in that room was a single, small, mahogany table. It was a waste of space.

I couldn't see beyond the shadows of the room. The only illumination that we have was the spotlight that was focused on that table.

Slowly and cautiously we made our way towards the center of the room where the table stood. Once we were there, we saw that the table was cluttered with all sorts of things: a box full of files, wires, half-eaten food, and a wooden carving.

"What are we supposed to do here?" I asked. Smart as I may be, I was still confused and so were Emma and Willy. "Are we supposed to clean up this mess? That's not much of a challenge."

Emma bent over the table and took a good look at the box full of files, scattering said files on the table and making the table that much more cluttered and messy. It took a while before she looked up at us and spoke.

"I think we're supposed to figure it out," she said, pointing to the wooden carving that looked like it was taken from some Indiana Jones film. It looked as though it was from the Aztec era. "It's supposed to be a puzzle. As to what puzzle it is, I'm not really sure."

"That file says that?" Willy asked, nodding towards the file that Emma had on her hand.

"No, not really. These files seem to be a study of some kind. And it talks about that wooden carving-thing."

"What about the wires?" I said, picking said wires up. "What are these for?"

Emma shrugged, and she looked at the half-eaten food, "I guess someone was here before us."

A cloud passed over Emma's face and Willy and I quickly caught on.

"If someone was here trying to solve this puzzle, where is that someone now?" It was Willy who voiced that question.

A low rumbling sound, coming from the deepest part of the room answered our question.

* * *

"You didn't have to scare us like that!" Emma shouted, her hands were balled and I could only imagine the self-restraint she had trying to stop herself from throwing a punch at Joe.

Willy was still cussing. He, too, had to restrain himself from pulling the trigger even though I could tell that he wanted, more than anything, to teach our new companion a lesson.

I, on the other hand, was staring. The person before me, he was exactly how I imagined him to be: tall, a bit lanky, eyes the color of dark chocolate and auburn-colored hair. I had figured that, when I meet Joe, he would be wearing the same kind of getup as the rest of us and it surprised me that that wasn't the case. Joe-Joe wasn't wearing a pair of cargo pants and turtleneck shirt or a pair of combat boots. He was wearing the most casual pair of clothing you could imagine: a black polo shirt and a pair of white pants. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of glasses-one that I did not dare imagine him to ever wear.

Although he looked as dirty as the rest of us, he didn't look like he had been running for his life for a while. He looked...relaxed.

"I'm sorry," Joe said. "I didn't think that you guys would be able to get here so soon." then he faced me and said, "And I see you have the new player along with you. Good."

"New player has a name," Willy spoke, "He claims he's Daniel X. _Our_Daniel X._"_

I waited for surprise in the expression of his face, or for confusion, and maybe even anger at using what they seem to believe was a dead friend's name. Which was why I was the one who ended up being surprised when Joe said, "Yeah, I know who he is. It's good to see you, Danny-boy" and he flashed me a huge grin.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Well, here it is, as promised. The first of our two-chapter update for this week.

I know I didn't end this chapter with much of a cliff-hanger but this ending is better for the story. Trust me on that. XD

Also, my description of Joe comes from the cover of one of the Daniel X manga as JP didn't actually describe his characters in full detail. I suppose he does that so we are left to our own imagination on how the characters look like. I don't really know.

I have to thank everyone who continues to support this fanfic and who had taken their time to review. Those reviews really are helping me stay driven enough to update as soon as I can. By the way, you can learn whether or not I'll be updating, and other news by heading to my blog (see Author Profile here in FFN for the link). I usually post news and sometimes even snippets of upcoming chapters there...among other things.

Anyways, that's all for now. We're currently experiencing a storm right now and the electricity's been fluctuating since yesterday. So, yeah...don't forget to review, 'kay?

Until the next update!


	12. Chapter 11

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Here is the promised second update of the week (okay, it's the _third_ update, if you're counting the Interlude chapter-which, by the way, I am _not_ counting as one of my updates this week). Hope you guys enjoy! Also, thanks to the people who had reviewed the previous chapter! This chapter is for you guys! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

I stared, surprised that Joe easily accepted who I was.

"Wait, you're not going to question me?" I asked. Not that I wanted him to. "You're not going to ask me to give you some proof as to who I am? You're not going to tell me that I'm supposed to be dead and that I could be one of Void's henchmen?"

Joe shrugged, "Why bother? If these two are hanging out with you, I'm sure they've already asked you to provide us with some sort of proof that you are Daniel. And, if they haven't blown your head off, that would mean that you _are_ Daniel X. Right?"

_Was it really as simple as that?_ I couldn't help but wonder to myself. Don't get me wrong. I was glad that he wasn't questioning it but, at the same time, it felt weird that Joe would easily accept it like that. Not that he was any different from what I imagined him to be. I mean, the other Joe-the one that was born from my memory and imagination of him-was a little bit carefree about stuff.

"There's something else," Willy said, glaring at Joe. "Something you're not telling us."

"What makes you say that?" Joe asked, undaunted by the look that he was getting.

"Because I _know_ you." Willy replied. "You aren't quick to trust nor are you quick to believe in anything unless you have been given proof. Isn't that why you never did believe that Daniel's dead? Because Void and The Prayer didn't show us any proof?"

_That_...was news to me. I had thought that they all believed that I was dead.

Joe gave another shrug, "If I didn't believe that he was dead to begin with, I wouldn't be surprised to see him alive now, would I?" and then he sighed, "But, you're right. There's more to it than that. The answer's on the table."

Willy, Emma and I all looked-at the same time-towards the cluttered table.

Before we could ask anything however, Joe raised his hand to stop us and added, "We can't, however, talk about it here. It's not safe." he paused, his head cocked to the side as if he was listening to something before adding, "Void can hear us and I would much prefer that he keeps guessing about what I know and what I'm going to tell you guys."

"That's...sensible," Emma said, before nodding in agreement.

I was in agreement, too. And, it surprised me how this Joe looked so serious and so...knowledgeable. I guess I haven't given my friend very much credit, thinking of him more like a comedic addition to our team-the joker of the group, of my _drang-_than someone who's to be taken seriously.

"Okay, so where do you propose we talk about this?" I asked, "I doubt there's any place here where we have the luxury of privacy."

Joe grinned. "That's not entirely true, Daniel. There are two places here in Void's little game world that we can use. Unfortunately, I don't have access to most obvious choice so we'll have to make do with a less...stellar location."

"I don't understand," I began.

"It's better that you don't get him to explain about it and that he shows you instead," Emma said, shaking her head with a sigh. "It's better that he shows you the reason why he was with us in the academy."

* * *

When I had pegged Joe as an avid gamer in my imagination, I really just did that without a second thought. I figured that, since I had a weapons specialist (Willy), an environmentalist (Emma), and a voice of reason (Dana), someone has to be knowledgeable in technology and everything to do with it. It just sort of happened that I chose Joe for it. I didn't expect that the _real_ Joe-Joe would really be someone who's a computer whiz...

...and someone capable of going toe-to-toe with Void's game program.

Because, that's exactly what Joe did. He hacked through the game's programming. Granted, he wasn't able to destroy the game from the inside (which, according to Joe, was something he wouldn't dare do while he was inside the game since it was dangerous and would be considered suicidal), nor was he able to free us from the confines of the game and return us to the real world. He wasn't even able to give me my powers back. What he did manage to do was send us to a different place. A place he called 'the slums'.

The slums wasn't exactly what you would expect, considering how it was named. It didn't look like a run down part of a city. Heck, it didn't look like anything at all. It was just...black and bare. Darkness surrounded us. There was no light streaming down from anywhere. Even so, I could see my friends clearly as though we were in an illuminated room.

"Like I've said, it isn't much of a place but it is a place where we can be sure Void will not be able to eavesdrop on us," Joe said, a look of satisfaction in his face.

"Where exactly are we?" I asked. I couldn't wipe the look of confusion mixed with awe from my own face.

"The slums. It's sort of an in-between place that exists in Void's programming. It's the place that exists between gate jumps. But, it's not really a physical space." Joe explained. Then he pointed at something I haven't noticed before. There was a group of floating letters and numbers, glowing like fireflies, clustered together, moving from one place to another but not breaking their formation.

"That," Joe said, continuing with his explanation, "is the only 'thing' that could move freely in this space before I messed up with it. Those are the game's programming. And this," he said, lifting the wooden carving up so we can see, "this helps me control a little bit of that programming to fight back against Void."

"You're telling me that a piece of artifact-an Aztec one at that-is helping you with his?" I asked incredulously. "Are you drawing power from it or something?"

"No, not like that. This Aztec carving is just a façade. I had to hide what it really is from Void since he could easily counter it with his own wave of programming if he learns what exactly it is. It's sort of my weapon of choice." Joe explained.

"So that's why that thing felt familiar," Emma finally caught on, "it's your Symbiote. You computer!"

Joe nodded. "I had to change its appearance since Void thought he destroyed it when he captured us. And, I had to do it discretely, too."

"We thought it was some kind of puzzle," Willy voiced out.

"Well, that's the safeguard of this thing right now. Unless you can figure out what you're supposed to do with it, it won't be anything but a useless piece of junk."

I have read about Symbiotes. Not many alien hunters have it and not any alien hunters, nor alien, can use it. Those who can harness a Symbiote-an organism that is fabricated from a computer and another mysterious living organism, making it a sort-of android-being-had to be outfitted with the right Symbiote. Once the outfitting is done, you can't back out and that Symbiote that you possess would be the only Symbiote that would work for you.

The Symbiote, as I recall, was something like The List. It is a computer that updates itself but, at the same time, it is a living being with a mind of its own that is connected with the mind of its user. It is a confusing concept, I know.

"So that's why you were taken in by the academy!" I realized. Symbiote users were pretty rare. Though, with how good Joe was with all the technology-stuff-the programming and all that-I should have figured it out sooner.

Joe nodded, "I'm as rare as they come, Danny-boy. But, I suppose all five of us are."

Emma nodded, "Each of us have these powers that are pretty rare. I've yet to meet another alien hunter who can control the earth as easily as I could or one like Willy who can fight with almost anything. Although, I haven't seen what you can do, Daniel."

I sighed, "Believe me, I'd like to give you guys a demonstration but, unless I could get it back soon I only have my speed and strength to use."

"So, what _is_ your power, Daniel?" Willy asked. "I remember you saying you can...create things."

I nodded, but even before I could tell them what it is-or rather, what my powers are-Joe cut me off saying, "We can talk about powers later, there's more important things to discuss right now. Besides, I didn't bring us here just so we can exchange super-power stories or whatever."

Emma huffed, "Alright then, Joe, _why_are we here?"

"To answer your question on how I know _this_Daniel is the _real_Daniel X." Joe answered casually. "And...because I came across something disturbing."

"It has something to do with this place, right?" I asked, beginning to see how Joe didn't take the news that I was alive a surprise.

Joe nodded, "Even though we-Emma, Willy, and I-have been here a couple of times, we never really..._explored_...what this whole place was about. When we first stumbled here, I thought that it was just a dead space in the programming. But then, when we all decided to work separately, and I came back to this place, my Symbiote accidentally brushed with the floating codes. I didn't know they were codes before that, though."

"Anyways, when my Symbiote touched the codes, it translated it for me. It was a while after The Prayer broadcasted that news about the alien hunters being dead and it was a message from the Prayer to Number 2." Joe took a deep breath before continuing on with his story. "The message notified Number 2 that the Prayer couldn't find The List as well as the fact that there was a new alien hunter in Terra Firma. Someone whom the Prayer thought was already dead." He looked at me and added, "Daniel X."

Everyone turned to look at me. I wanted to look smug and tell Emma and Willy "I told you so" but I knew better than to tease them about it. So, I just nodded, letting Joe continue.

"The Prayer was pretty pissed that someone's killing aliens left and right. When news arrived that Ergent Seth was dead and that it was you, Daniel, who killed him, the Prayer had been working left and right to get rid of you. Even though he sees Number 2 as a rival and as competition rather than one of his lackeys, he decided to work with him to capture you."

"That's why I ended up here. Because Number 2 then ordered Void." I nodded. It wasn't news to me. "There's nothing special about that."

"Maybe, unless, of course, you later find out that Void is duping Number 2 as well." Joe said.

"Duping...Number 2? What do you mean?" Emma asked the same time that Willy did.

Now _this_ was news to me.

"I don't know all the details yet but, I came across one of his broadcasts. I've been keeping watch and listening in to everything going on around here so I know what's really happening but...let's just say that the audio and the video that Void has been broadcasting is fake." Joe said. "He's feeding them lies."

"But...why?" I managed to ask.

"For power? I don't know. I don't think anyone knows anything about Void." Joe shrugged. He was right. Even the List didn't say much about him.

"And that makes him even more dangerous," Emma noted.

We all nodded at that.

"And what about the other thing?" Willy asked. "Or is that the disturbing news you were talking about?"

Joe looked uncomfortable, which made me believe that what he had told us about Void wasn't the 'disturbing news' he had for us. Somehow, the look of worry in his face and the uncertainty with it, made me nervous. And I, Daniel X, am rarely nervous.

"I overheard what you said about Dana, Daniel." Joe said, not meeting my eyes. And I knew, at that instant, that whatever he has to say was bad.

"And?" I asked. As bad as it might be, I had to know. It was about Dana, after all.

"I looked into it. I tried searching for her here but I couldn't find her. I think...I think you were right. Dana may be working with Void...and she might not be working for him because she was forced to. She's doing it out of her own free will."

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

_Dun-dun-duuuun!_

And that is the second update for this week (okay, fine, third update).

Thank you once again for everyone who reviewed, hope you guys don't mind reviewing again...that would, probably, speed my updates up even more. I'm not sure if I can give another update this week, though. But, I _will_ try.

I'm also planning on updating _**A McLaina Story**_ first and uploading the first chapter of the sequel to _**CoT:CW**_.

Anyways, what do you guys think about this chapter? I sort of rushed it so I'm not sure if I made any mistakes or something.

Well, that's all for now. If you're wondering when the next update will be, check out my blog. I usually post news about updates and delays there.

Until then!


	13. Chapter 12

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So...SURPRISE! I couldn't help myself. I just _had _to keep on writing.

Thanks to the people who've reviewed the previous chapter. This chapter is dedicated to y'all.

Alright, let's get this show on the road!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

"Are you sure about that?" It was Emma who asked.

I was too stunned to learn that Void wasn't manipulating Dana. That Dana was following him of her own volition_—_her own free will.

_But...why?_

Joe nodded somberly, "I didn't believe it at first. Heck, I didn't even believe what I heard Daniel said, after all, this _is_ Dana we're talking about. But, when I began snooping around, listening in on Void's conversations as well as Dana's...well, there's no proof to tell me otherwise. Dana is following Void because she wants to, not because she _has_ to."

"Did...something happen while you guys were being held prisoners?" I asked. There has to be an explanation.

"With her? No. Ergent Seth wasn't even interested with her." Emma answered.

"Not interested?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when I told you that Seth didn't kill us because our powers started manifesting itself and he thought he could use us?" Emma asked. When I nodded my answer, she went on, "Well, that isn't true with Dana. Seth wanted to kill her because she didn't seem to be useful to him and to his plans."

"I remember that," Willy said, his eyes had that faraway look in them. "The only reason he didn't touch her is because of us."

"That's right," Joe nodded as well. "He kept her in a separate cell from Emma. Willy and I shared the same cell and we were close enough to Emma's to know that Dana wasn't with her."

"But, how did she get in the academy?" I asked. It really didn't make sense.

"We don't know. Of course, all three of us didn't know why we got in to the academy either_—_and in their special class, to boot_—_until Seth began working on us" Joe answered. "But, that doesn't mean that she was brainwashed since when we escaped she was perfectly fine and looking forward to paying Seth back."

"And she was just as pissed when we landed straight at Void's hands," noted Willy, there was a smirk playing on his lips. "Even though her powers haven't awakened yet, she put up a pretty good fight."

"Yeah," Joe nodded, grinning.

"So then...why?" I wanted to scream the question out, but what came out of my mouth was barely a whisper.

Joe shrugged just as Emma and Willy shook their heads.

"We don't know," Emma answered, there was a sad and sympathetic look in her face. "But we _will_ find out."

We didn't stay inside the slum longer after that and we left with even more mysteries and questions than when we first arrived. The problem with Dana, which I had thought was something I would have to fix as soon as I get out of this game and strangle the life out of Void, seems bigger_—_looming even further in front of me than ever before.

Joe, however, didn't left the slum with us. He stayed there, promising to get back to us if he ever found some new information and once we could access the other level-the one that Emma had told me about. Apparently, even Joe_—_the technical genius_—_couldn't bypass the new security measures that Void had implemented to stop what he calls "Gate Hacking".

"Don't think too much about it, Daniel," Joe had told me before he pushed me into the safe zone. "We'll figure out what happened to Dana, and we'll bring her back to normal."

I nodded, forcing myself to smile amidst the heavy weight that settled in my heart, "I hope so, Joe. I really hope so."

* * *

There was a heavy silence in the safe zone. Unlike before, when we just jumped from one safe zone to the next level, all three of us decided to stay there a while longer. To rest up and to prepare ourselves for what awaits us in the next level. The food that Joe had shared with us had satiated our hunger and our thirst, if only for a little. But, the news he had brought damped our spirits and made the meal taste like saw dust in our mouths.

"This sucks," Willy finally said when the silence and the air in the room was too heavy, I suppose, for him to bear.

"Tell me about it," I murmured.

"There has to be a perfectly, reasonable explanation for it." Emma supplied, "Maybe Joe stumbled into a fake conversation or whatever. Maybe Void wants us to _think_ that..."

Emma didn't bother to finish her sentence. We had promised not to talk about what we have come to know, and we have almost let it slip that we have something about Dana...and that I know who Dana is, even though Void didn't seem to think that when he asked her to strap me in and to bring me to this place.

"Sorry," Emma apologized.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked, willing to change the subject even though we can't really plan for our next course of action seeing as no one, except Joe, can plot where he appears next in this stupid game.

"Nothing," growled Willy. "There's nothing we can do except play this stupid game!" Then he stood and looked up, shouting, "You better be ready, Void! When I get out of here, I'm going to save my parents and rip you apart!"

Void didn't answer. Of course, that didn't mean that he can't hear us.

"You know, it's funny...in an annoying sort of way," I started when Willy had, with Emma's help, calmed down a bit.

"What is?" Emma asked, soothing her brother.

"If you guys didn't manage to escape before I got captured by Seth and brought back to Alpar Nok, we would all have been reunited and we could have escaped together. You guys wouldn't have been captured by Void and we could've fought alongside each other after that." I answered.

As I thought about that, about that big 'What if' that suddenly sprang to my mind, I made a mental note of asking my father, once my powers are back, if I could time travel and do something about all of this. But then, I couldn't help but also wonder what the repercussions for such an action would be. To change the past so drastically, I was sure there was some sort of payment for that_—_a bad karma, perhaps?

But, thinking about the possibility of fighting against Dana, I couldn't help but think that I would be willing to accept all the bad karma coming my way if it meant stopping such an event. I didn't want to fight her.

"It's true. If we didn't escape Seth, we wouldn't be in this predicament," Realization dawned upon Emma's face.

"But that doesn't mean that our parents wouldn't have been caught," Willy pointed out. "And, it doesn't mean that we wouldn't have become enemies when the time came. Seth would have probably managed to break us in the end and we could have ended up fighting against you Daniel, as one of Seth's guards or something."

"I doubt that," I said, a small smile on my lips. "You guys are pretty strong_—_physically and mentally."

"You're only saying that because right now you have to depend on us. But, once you get your powers, I'm sure you're stronger than us. You are, after all, the alien hunter who has caused problems for the Prayer." Emma said. "It intrigues me, you know. What your power is."

I shrugged. "It's better if I show you guys what it is as soon as I get it back. And I really hope I get it back soon."

"So, it's one of those powers like Joe's?" Willy asked.

"Kind of," I answered. I was sure that Void didn't really fully understood the scope of what I could do. Sure, he knows I can create things from my imagination_—_make them as real as they could be. He may even know about my time travelling.

Thankfully, Emma and Willy dropped the subject and we were back to resting in silence. It wasn't long before I ended up falling asleep. And it was a sleep that brought me back to the beach, face to face with the other 'me' once more.

* * *

"Do you ever think about the possibility of never getting your powers back?" The other me asked, and then shook his head, "Okay, that was a stupid question. If I'm thinking about it now, that means you had been thinking about that as well."

I shrugged. I didn't need to answer his question not because he was wrong about it but because he was right-he does know what's going on inside my mind. Of course, I didn't want to admit that to him, after what he had said before which, up until now, I wasn't even sure I believed.

"What are you going to do, Daniel, if you can't get your powers back?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there." I answered.

"It would be too late by then," he sighed. "You have to have a plan."

I knew he was right. The thing was, for the first time ever, I couldn't come up with any. I didn't want to make it seem like a great possibility. A great and fearful possibility. What would happen if I really did end up getting my powers back? I don't think I could keep being an alien hunter and the protector of Terra Firma if that was the case. My super strength and speed would be nothing compared to facing the rest of the alien scums on The List, especially the Prayer.

"I have to get it back," I said after a while. "Not getting it back is out of the possibility. I doubt Void is even able to do something like that-permanently take away my powers, I mean."

"What if it's not Void?" he asked.

I turn to look at my mirror image and in his eyes, I could see that he was trying to tell me something. I almost laughed at the surreal idea that my sub-consciousness could possibly know more about what's happening than me. But, the look on his face told me that it was no laughing matter.

"You know something, don't you?" I asked, though I was only waiting for his confirmation about it.

"Maybe," was his reply, which didn't help much. "You know I can only tell you as much as what you already know. Right now, I'm trying to work beyond that limit. You know the answers to these questions, these mysteries, yourself, Daniel. You just have to remember the answers."

"Remember the answers?"

He smiled, before his form began to shimmer and he slowly disappeared, "I wish I can tell you more than that but...time's up. It's time to rise and shine, Danny-boy."

* * *

I woke up feeling even less rejuvenated than I was before. Talking with that other 'me' always took its toll, even though that was only the second time I have conversed with him...

The next level we ended up in was an apocalyptic New York setting. Cars were overturned and the roads were cracked. Smoke and fire rose from the tall buildings of Manhattan, and the celestial bodies were hidden behind thick and dense smog. The air was chilly and damp and all sorts of things littered on the streets.

No one was around. No one but us.

It felt eerie and foreboding. I couldn't help but think that this was what awaited Earth if I failed to get my powers back. If I failed to get out of this mess that I'm in.

The aliens in The List wanted destruction. They wanted nothing more than power and the extinction of the human race and the only thing that would stand in their way was an alien hunter. Me.

_I can't fail_. I thought to myself.

"Where are we?" Willy asked.

"It's a copy of a place in Terra Firma," I answered, my voice rough. "They call it Manhattan. It's in New York."

Emma nodded, "It makes you want to fight harder, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. I don't want all the cities on Earth to end up like this. I don't even want to _see_this." I said.

"Void's trying to mess with your head." Willy supplied. "Don't let him get to you...don't let this, or Dana, get to you, Daniel."

I looked at Willy, a little bit surprised by his words but I nodded nonetheless. He was, after all, right.

"Alright, let's get this level over and done with," I said pounding my fist and the palm of my hand.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that, my friends, is the end of the twelfth chapter of this story. It will be getting interesting from this point on as head towards the half-way mark.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and that you will review it as well.

Well, that's that. I really don't have the time to say more as I only squeezed writing this in my already-full schedule. I'm going to try to update again soon (cross your fingers!)

Until the next update!


	14. Chapter 13

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I was supposed to upload/publish this yesterday but...well, something came up.

Anyways, I kept forgetting to mention this:

If you guys want to learn about quick updates, news, upcoming fanfic and other such projects, you can read about them-and get the latest of these things-on my Twitter account (Sakura_Martinez), Tumblr account (sakuramartinez(dot)tumblr(dot)com), and/or in my blog: vis-ph(dot)com.

I usually post stuff there even before I post them here...so, yeah. That may save you some time wondering if I am going to have an update or not...and if I really am going to go through with writing a crossover fanfic *cough*Daniel*cough*meets*cough*Maximum*cough*Ride.

Anyways, enjoy this chapter-as well as your weekend!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

It was hard navigating through the game's version of an apocalyptic Manhattan. The debris that fell from the ruined buildings, the fallen billboards and street signs, the toppled cars and food carts, and upended trees made it hard to get from one place to the other. The large holes on the ground and the cracked streets added to the dismal effect of the environment.

Even though no other living creature was around, there was a sort of haunting soundtrack playing around us. The wind was blowing, creating a howling symphony with the sounds of wails, cries, and pleas for help. It was nerve wracking.

"This is driving me nuts," Willy whispered as we ducked inside an abandoned and almost-demolished office building. "Void's playing with us."

"Let him," I said, gritting my teeth. "I don't even care if he shows himself here. I'm actually waiting for that moment."

"You and me both, Daniel but we can't face him with just the three of us," Emma said, reminding me what Joe had also told us before we left him in the slums.

_Void can't change the rules that he has given each of his players. Whatever rules and limitations he had placed on you, he would also have to conform with them. That's his power._ I remembered Joe telling us. _In this game, whatever he promised to be your prize_will _be your prize. He can't change that. He's tied to the game much like the rest of us. If he so much as cheats, he'll feel the full repercussions of it. If it's bad for us, it will be twice as bad for him._

_Then why did he bother with this game? _ I had asked.

_Because that's the way he fights. It's the only way he can fight._ Was the answer. _Even so, if you fight him here...if he shows up here, you won't be able to defeat him. Void cannot be destroyed inside his own creation. To be able to beat him, you'd have to find a way out—we _all _have to find a way out._

I had nodded, and promised that, even if Void would show himself, I wouldn't go recklessly charging at him. I guess, I shouldn't have made such a promise because I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep it.

"We have to get to the old man," Willy said, huffing as he climbed up the barricaded exit.

"Old man?" I asked, following him.

But neither Emma nor Willy answered my question. I suppose it was one of those things that Void can't be allowed to know.

The other side of Manhattan wasn't any different from the rest. It was just as bad but there were no signs of hostility as far as the eye can see. I didn't know what the whole point of these levels are now. I thought, before, that they were all stages for gruesome battles and fighting, but I was beginning to think that there was more to it than that. That the game has much more purpose than that.

I kept that thought to myself.

"What are we supposed to be doing here again?" I asked, a couple of minutes later as we were making our way to who-knows-where (again).

"Waiting for something to happen," Emma answered in a hushed whisper.

Willy nodded. "We can't do anything except to wait for Void to make his move."

"I doubt it'd be anything as easy as before," I told them and they agreed with me. "Void wouldn't have set this up for me to see if that wasn't the case."

"You really have caused a lot of problems for the alien outlaws," there was a tinge of awe to Emma's voice as she spoke those words.

I shrugged, "There's only so much that I can do."

"Better than being stuck inside this game for years," Willy said, trudging along.

He was right, though. No matter what had happened during my adventures, it was better than having everything in my world controlled by some demented alien outlaw. Unlike Emma, Willy, and Joe, I have been able to see much of the world, and have even returned to my home planet. I guess I really didn't think of that as a blessing before.

_I really didn't think of anything as a blessing. I just took them for granted..._

I sighed. That knowledge weighing heavy in my heart.

There was a lot of things about myself that I was learning in this place. Things that I hadn't thought about or even imagined I would learn.

* * *

You can't really tell what time it was in that stage. But, we did have to stop and rest eventually. We've learned that pushing ourselves to the limit can't always be good. Especially if we can't rest afterwards and are plummeted to another whirlwind of battle.

We took camp at another abandoned building. A building that was once a department store. Clothes were everywhere, like someone raided and overturned the closet. Shoes littered the ground, some of them missing the other pair but most of them were matted with dirt that even the most expensive shoes didn't look appealing. There were even shards of glass scattered here and there and we have to make sure that the place where we will be sleeping were devoid of such things.

Electricity still coursed through the dilapidated building, but with how badly the lights were damaged, all we got was a lot of flickering, flying sparks, and not much light.

I was lying on my sleeping bag, unable to sleep. My thoughts were swirling with a lot of 'What ifs' that I didn't know which one to start. I was too fired up that I couldn't sleep. The shadows on the wall were not helping. I had the vague sense that something was about to happen.

Emma and Willy, on the other hand, didn't have problems falling asleep.

I replayed the words that the other 'me' had said.

_You just have to remember the answers._

For him to say that, wouldn't that mean that I know the answers to all the questions in my head but I had just forgotten them? Like an abandoned memory, a memory that had been boxed up at the back of my head awaiting for me to clear the dust and take them out?

I didn't know how long I was thinking of those things, trying to figure out the meaning behind those cryptic words, when Emma suddenly spoke from the sleeping bag beside me.

"Stop thinking too much, Daniel." She whispered.

I turned my head to look at her. I couldn't see the expression on her face, what with the lights flickering and all.

"I'm not over-thinking," I said.

She gave a snort. "Yeah, right. I may not know how much you've changed, Daniel X. But there are things about you that will always stay the same. Things that I will always remember. And this is one of them."

"This?"

"You taking everything in your shoulder," she replied and I could see her shoulders rise and fall, as if shrugging. "Even when we were kids you always think things too much by yourself. You don't let us help you out."

"That's...not true." I said, but somehow I wondered if it was.

"It is," then she gave a small laugh, just loud enough for my ears to pick up. "I remember that time, when we were kids. Some bullies came up and even though Willy could've helped you_—_would have helped you_—_you chose to fight by yourself. I guess you wanted to impress Dana even back then."

"I...what?" I said, surprised at what she had just told me. "I don't remember that."

"I don't blame you. It was a long time ago and a lot of things have happened since then," Emma said.

I gave a laugh of my own, "Yeah. There are...a lot of things from back when I was a kid in Alpar Nok that I can't remember but I feel them there...at the back of my mind."

"I think it's the same for all of us. I guess that's another thing that makes us similar to humans." Emma paused at the thought before adding, "You don't have to worry about Dana, Daniel."

I didn't say anything. What was there to say? There was no use denying it after all. Because in the end, thoughts of Dana_—_of how she was aiding Void in her own volition, of what could have happened to her, of whether she remembers me or not should I tell her who I am_—_were all that's on my mind.

When Emma saw that I wasn't going to argue, that I wasn't going to say anything to her about it, she added, "We'll think of something. We'll bring her back. You're not alone in this."

I nodded and with all sincerity said, "Thank you."

* * *

I woke up to the sound of heavy footsteps. It took a while for me to remember where I am and that was enough for me to completely wake up and be on my feet. Emma and Willy were already crouched behind a fallen pillar and they motioned me to stay low and to keep quiet.

I did what I was told.

As surprising as that is.

The footsteps were getting louder and I knew that whoever these people (or things) are, that they are coming closer. And that there are a lot of them.

I looked at the health gauge that was visible to me. I was fully healed thanks to Emma and her rations, and she and her brother were too.

_Which means, we can go all out as long as we don't use up all of our healing items. Man, I am_so _not enjoying this._

It was only minutes later when we finally caught a glimpse of who_—_and what_—_we would be facing.

It was the terminator-esque guys. The very same _things_ that attacked the mall I was in before I was captured. The very same things that had captured me even.

Well, they may not be the same group that had abducted me and put me into this predicament. But, that didn't matter to me. I was aiming for some payback.

"Those are the same things that got to me back in Shinjuku," I told Emma and Willy.

"We've never encountered them in the game before." Willy said, enunciating the words slowly. "But, we've seen them when Void captured us too."

"Yeah, I can feel that they're made of metal too." Emma supplied, though I already knew that. "But, I can't do anything about it. Something's stopping me from using my powers on them."

"That's...a first." Willy said, I could see the worry in his eyes.

"I don't suppose you have any weapons on you that can fire a gazillion watts of electrical power, or even one that can fire a torrent of water or something, do you?" I asked Willy.

Willy thought for a moment, then he looked at his holsters where his weapons lay and even in the pack he had carried, which was also full of all sorts of weapons from different planets. After a couple of seconds of digging, he shook his head.

"No, but I do have something that could help us. Something more...fun," He said.

Emma and I exchanged glances before Emma ventured to ask the question, "What?"

And that was when Willy procured three cylindrical weapons made of adamantine.

"Flame Sabers." He said before he handed Emma and I said weapons and grinning. "Lock and Load, people."

* * *

I couldn't help but think that "Lock and Load" wasn't the right expression that Willy should have used. He should have said "To arms!" instead.

It was strange seeing all three of us wielding swords with blades made of fire. It looks like a lightsaber from that movie _Star Wars_ only that the blades aren't as precisely shaped as those weapons. It was hard controlling the flames but both Emma and I finally got the hang of it.

Using these weapons are harder than you might think. Even if the ones who were wielding said weapon were alien hunters like us. It's true that we have a bit higher heat and fire threshold than you _homo sapiens_ but it doesn't mean that it doesn't bother us. Because, it sure as hell did.

I still haven't gotten past my subtle fear of fire after what had happened a couple of months back with Beta...especially that memory in my mind when I was in the car with Dana. I had to shake those thoughts from my head a couple of times as the fire caused our robot enemies to be cut into half before melting into a puddle of silver liquid before hardening.

Both Emma and I stayed on one spot, letting our enemies come to us. I couldn't say the same thing about Willy though. He was charging them with such fervor that he made the Spartan leader, Leonidas, look like a nice gentleman. I was even expecting him to cry out: "For Freedom!" or something.

It took a while before we managed to route out all the "invading" robots that had come to cause us harm. Of course, even with the "Flame Sword" (as Willy called it) as our weapons, we didn't really get out of that battle unscathed. Looking at my health gauge, I noted that I had a quarter of it cut down. Emma's health was a little bit higher than mine. Willy's, however, was verging on the danger zone.

"You better heal your brother," I told Emma, wrinkling my nose at the smell of burnt metal as I turned my weapon off. "We don't know if another wave is coming at us."

"Right." Emma nodded as she, too, let the flames of her weapon die down before running towards Willy to help.

She was still helping Willy when a notification sounded. I thought that they had heard it too, but when I turn to look at them, Emma was still helping Willy_—_healing his wounds and trying to calm him down. I looked around, wondering if it was just all in my head when, all of a sudden, this message appeared out of thin air, made first by a cluster of 1s and 0s before changing into normal texts.

I blinked, and then I read the message:

_Nothing is as it seems. The truth will come out soon, young Alien Hunter._

_But, until then, learn and remember._

_~ K_

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

What do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Send me a review and let me know. I'm really running out of things to say in this author's notes section...so, I'll leave it at that. Be sure to check my website for updates and news, and to know when the next update will be!

Until then!


	15. Chapter 14

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Thanks for all who reviewed! We're getting to the point where the story is going to get rolling much faster.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

I kept replaying the message on my head over and over again as we made it passed stage after stage, gaining experience along the way. I've managed to gain three more levels but no new powers much to my dismay. I wasn't the only one looking forward to regaining the powers that I have lost. Even Emma and Willy are just as excited as I was, or maybe they're simply curious and wanting to know just what it is that Daniel X can do.

I kept the message for myself, even though there was nothing in the letter to tell me that I wasn't allowed to share it with my friends. I could lie and say that I didn't know why I did that, but, the truth was, I was starting to have my doubts. Not just about the whole purpose of this game that Void had pushed me into but also about my companions.

_Nothing is as it seems._ The message had read.

I have already thought as much, but the proof and the reason still eluded me.

That was why I was beginning to be wary of Emma and Willy, even though they haven't showed any signs that they are not my friends and not trustworthy. I felt bad, but I knew that I had to take caution—something that I had been forgetting to do for a while now.

_The truth will come out soon, young Alien Hunter._

I could imagine that. Things _will_ be unraveled soon and all I could do was just keep on going, get past one stage after the other and hope that one of those safe zones we land into would be the safe zone where I will regain my powers.

_But, until then, learn and remember._

Learn and remember what exactly? The message wasn't clear about that but, from what the other 'me' had hinted, it seems that that is the only way that we could overcome this whole thing. I waited and waited, every chance that I got to sleep, for the other 'me' to appear in my dreams. But, after that final conversation, he had simply stepped out of the way.

_~ K_

The sender's name didn't ring a bell. I should know. I doubt it was hard to remember anyone whose name was just a single letter. But, there was no one in my past that had that name and no one in The List with that name as well. No alien or human I have ever met would have sent me a message like that—a message that was as cryptic as they come. A message that, albeit short, holds some sort of clue for me. Either that or a warning. Or maybe both.

"You've been quiet ever since we left that Manhattan stage," Willy noted three days (or, at least, I think it was three days) after we left the heaps of frozen, metallic-silver gunk and the wasted Manhattan.

I was surprised with Willy suddenly talking to me that I didn't understood at once what he had said and all I managed to reply was, "Huh?"

"Did something happen, Daniel?" A worried Emma asked.

"Oh, no...nothing really," I said, the lie rolling out of my lips even before I have time to process it all. "I was just...thinking."

Emma let off an exasperated sigh, "I told you to quit doing that by yourself. You won't solve whatever mystery lies behind Void and Dana going at it alone."

"It's not that," I said, and when Emma asked what it was, I shook my head and replied, "Nothing. Forget about it."

They weren't happy with my reply, which was evident by Willy's scowling face and Emma's frown but they didn't push me to reveal what it was that was bothering me. As we continued along another forest stage, I wondered if it would be a good idea to ask Joe whether he could track down a particular message and whether I could trust him not to mislead me.

I shook my head. _Is it really smart to doubt these people who are supposed to be the members of my _drang_?_

* * *

"Please choose your reward," the computer-generated, female voice said as three, metallic tables appeared before us. "You may only select one item."

We had, once again, arrived at the safe zone. All of us barely making it out of the jungle stage after almost having been mauled to death by a pack of Chimeras. You humans believed these creatures to be of mythological origin but, the truth is, they're from a planet of the same name that is a billion-and-a-half light years away from Terra Firma. The Planet Chimera is, like the previous stage we had found ourselves in, a planet completely composed of huge jungles. It is a savage world and these fire-breathing aliens, a savage breed of creatures.

We were lucky to have made it out alive.

"What should we pick?" I asked, even though we had been through this same motion a couple of time, I was still having a hard time coming to a decision on my own. Not that there's a smart way of doing it. Choosing our reward, I mean. So far we had gotten random stuff from this game's reward system.

The first reward I got, from the package that I haven't bothered opening since meeting Willy, Emma, and Joe-Joe, was disk. A disk that was so useless at the present time—what with the lack of dvd players, or even a disk drive. The second reward we got, which was the first reward we obtained as a group, was—can you guess it?—another disk. The same goes for the third, the fourth, and the fifth one. Of course, these disks were coupled with a few healing items and, on one occasion, ammo for Willy's weapons—not that Willy's arsenal of weapons ever gets low on ammo.

"Does it matter?" Willy asked back. "I'm sure we're going to get another useless disk anyway."

"We don't know that," Emma countered, even though she sounded resigned to getting said disk again anyways. "Besides, we aren't sure if these disks are useless or not."

"Either way, let's get this over with and pick," I said with a shrug.

Emma gave a sigh before she picked up the middle table, "Fine. We choose this one."

As soon as she said those words, the two other tables disappeared and, on top of the middle one, another parcel appeared. When Emma tore it open, sure enough, there was another disk and a couple of healing items.

"Told you," Willy huffed as he walked towards the portal that will lead us to the next level. "We should let Joe take a look at those things."

I nod and so did Emma. That was the viable course of action after all. Trouble was, who knows when we would see Joe again.

* * *

We found ourselves in another desert. But, unlike before where there was nothing but sand and sky, this particular level had some structures in it, sort of like ruins from a long-forgotten civilization. These structures, quite honestly, reminded me of the Aztecs and I couldn't help but wonder if Joe had been in this level and whether this was the place he got his idea to hide his Symbiote as an Aztec-like relic.

The sky was also unlike any sky I have ever see in my young life. It wasn't the usual blue but the pre-dawn color and, no matter what time of day, it remained as such. The air and temperature was different, too. It was...cold. So cold that I wouldn't have been surprised if snow suddenly started falling down on us.

"I don't suppose that Joe has managed to mess up Void's game," I said as I rubbed my hands together to keep them warm. "This is _not_ normal."

"Actually," Emma said, "it is. At least, that's what I remember the academy telling us about Planet Gylax."

"Gylax?" I have never head of that planet before, and I thought I would know about it too since the List had been supplying me with all sorts of information.

Emma shrugged, "A planet on the outer rims of Nexus-5. It was conquered, and its denizens sold off into slavery a couple of hundred years ago. I guess that is what this stage was based off."

"Why don't I remember learning about that," I voiced out my wonder and confusion.

"Don't sweat it, Daniel. I can't remember learning about it, too." Willy said, his expression was serious before his face cracked into a smile and he said, "Emma just likes to show people that she knows a lot about these things. Before the First Strike, she always did love to bury herself in books and studies."

"Hey! That's not true!" Emma argued, her face flushing and I knew that it was not because of the cold. "Not _entirely_ true."

I couldn't help but grinning at that. I guess, my version of Emma—the one that I had been with and had created from my imagination—the memories about her that I have when I was a kid, they were—to some extent—accurate.

"Stop smirking!" Emma turned at me when she saw the look on my face.

That only made me grin even more, despite apologizing for it. But I soon let the grin drop and Willy stopped teasing his sister as well when I asked, "So, what should we be careful of here?"

"Sand Wyrms." Emma replied. "Huge, _man-eating_ Sand Wyrms...and, I guess trap doors if we are going to enter one of these ruins."

"Trap doors?" Willy asked. "Why would they use something as primitive as that?"

"The people of Gylax _are _a primitive race, Willy," Emma sighed. As she spoke, we began heading towards one of the said ruins as it was the only place we could go to. "They are also quite paranoid so they would make traps at every opportunity presented to them. They would even booby-trap a room even though there's nothing important in it."

"Huh..." was the only thing I could think of saying at that short, little lecture of Emma's.

The inside of the ruins looked more like the inside of one of Egypt's pyramids. It wasn't dark, though as braziers lit up the corridors and the rooms that we passed by. Sand flowed from the cracks and holes that also streamed in thin streaks of light. The air was musty and the temperature, hotter. It was really strange.

Most of the rooms we came across to were sealed off by a cave-in or led to dead-ends. The only path forward was down a long flight of alabaster staircase. By the time we got to the end, we were all very tired and I, for one, would not want to climb—or descend—another set of staircase any time soon.

"That," Willy huffed as he craned his neck to look at the stairs we had just descended from, "was pure torture."

"Yeah," breathed Emma.

"Let's hope that's the last of the long staircases and that we wouldn't need to climb back up to get out of this level," I said, wiping the sweat from my brow.

At those words, Emma and Willy both groaned.

After taking a short breather, we continued on our merry way. Yeah, I was being sarcastic with that. There wasn't anything "merry" going on any more, especially when we came across another damn staircase—this one more hazardous than the other thanks to the cracked and missing steps. Once we have conquered the stairs, we found ourselves facing a short corridor with two, large, golden, double doors at the end.

"Don't suppose that the stairs were the challenge of this stage?" I asked, though I didn't sound hopeful at all. After all, things like that were just too good to be true.

"Knowing Void's sadistic nature? I doubt it," Willy replied.

"One could only hope, though, that whatever we're about to face wouldn't be _that_ hard and troublesome to beat," Emma chimed in.

But, of course, there was only one way to find out. And that is by taking the step forward and pushing those heavy-looking doors wide open.

The doors were more than just heavy-looking. They _were_ heavy. I would have transformed myself into an elephant in order to open it, if I had my powers. But, that not being the case, we had to rely on Emma's powers to push the door open. Which she did with ease.

With the closed door out of the way, we found ourselves in a wide room. It was such a big room that you couldn't see what was beyond and what was on top of you except darkness and shadow. We tentatively made our way deeper into the room. It was eerie. I was half-expecting a Sand Wyrm to jump in on us or a pack of mummies to shuffle its way towards us.

Of course, Void didn't opt to use either monster—or creature—to challenge us in this stage. No. What he had planned was something we should have expected. Because the moment we were right in the middle of the whole room, three sets of trap doors opened and swallowed all of us up, separating us and thereby putting a stop to our teamwork.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Author's Notes**

So, there you have it. The second update of the week. Hopefully, there would be more coming this week.

Anyways, an Interlude chapter is coming up (right after the next update) and you can expect something...err...unexpected to happen. An expected unexpected event—if that makes any sense. Don't forget to review, okay?

Until the next update! Ciao!


	16. Chapter 15

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I can't help but notice how frequently I've been updating even though I am already swamped with so many other projects and things to do. Huh...I guess you can't really stop yourself from doing something you love to do—in my case, that's writing. Anyways, I hope that you find this chapter enjoyable. Oh, and don't forget to review! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

"Daniel, do you know what's one of the most important thing you have to remember in a fight?" My dad asked. I couldn't see his face and I could only hear his voice in the darkness of the room.

"Stay alive?" I asked, trying to find where his voice was coming from.

"Well, yeah," my dad conceded to that point, "but apart from the obvious."

"Win?" I asked, picking another obvious point. I know it wasn't smart to rile my dad up like that. When it comes to my training, he was always serious and he never failed to ask that I be the same.

A flash of silver whizzed past me and I managed to duck at the last second before it could impale me. I whirled around; expecting my dad to appear from where the knife had flew by only to face nothing but darkness.

My muscles were tensed and my hearing was almost at the point of strained, but I couldn't relax.

"Try again, Daniel," came my dad's voice.

I had only walked a couple of phases forward when I found myself being flipped backwards. I landed with a loud thud, my head hitting the ground making me dizzy for a few seconds and making my eyesight even more terrible in the darkness. Something heavy landed on me as my arms were pinned behind my back.

"So, what is it, Daniel? What is one of the most important things you have to remember in a fight—especially if your enemy is stronger than you?" My dad asked, his words merely a whisper to my ear as he pinned me down on the hard, concrete ground.

I should have figured out the answer the first time he asked me that question, though. If I had given him the answer, I wouldn't have found myself kissing the floor.

"The one who surprises his enemy wins," I answered.

"Very good, son," My dad said as he freed me and helped me up, "Never forget that. It's a valuable strategy."

* * *

I opened my eyes and groaned as the last whiff of the dream left me. My whole body felt sore and cold and I had to move as carefully as I could, lest I had some sort of injury from having fallen from the trap door—something that was so clichéd that I should have been able to avoid it. Lucky for me, something cushioned my fall and I didn't have any broken bones that would have totally ruined any chances of survival that I may have left.

The room I had fallen into was an exact replica of the room with the trap doors. It was just as big and as wide; just as empty; and just as dimly lit.

I couldn't help but wonder just how disappointed dad would have been to know that I had fallen into one of the most primitive and oldest trick in the book—a trap door—when he had reminded me, time and time again, to keep my wits about and the importance of being the one who springs the trap and not the one who falls into it.

_What an Alien Hunter I'm turning out to be,_ I couldn't help but think to myself as I painfully searched for a way out, _I have been so out of my element ever since Void took my powers away._

I also wondered how Emma and Willy were doing. My over-active and imaginative mind caused me to think that maybe Willy's using all of his weapons to try and make a door for himself and making cursing if none of his weapons worked (the walls are, after all, much tougher than one would think—after all, I couldn't even make a hole in the wall with my fist and super-human strength). Emma may be using her mind and calculating stuff that would enable her to use her powers to the fullest—that is, provided she wasn't losing her cool. Otherwise, she could very well cause an earthquake and that _would not_ be good for us.

The thought of my friends and their powers made me feel like I'm more of the human in our little group than someone who can actually fight alongside them. I questioned whether they were worried about me and think of me as some sort of D.i.D—Dude in Distress. I hope not, even though at this very moment, I was more worried about my own safety than theirs.

I had walked the entire room, searching for a way out. I've even tried tapping my knuckles on the floor and on the walls, thinking that maybe there's some sort of hidden passage. It was a good thing that I wasn't claustrophobic because, if I was, I would have been panicking. Sure, the room was big, but even a big room would feel make one feel so confined especially if there is no exit. And there was no exit in the room—none that was visible and obvious, anyway. And neither was there any sign of potential escape for me. I was stuck, much to my dismay.

I sighed as I slumped back down on the ground, my back to the wall and my fingers raking my head.

_Think! Think!_ I ordered myself. _There's always a way out of any situation. You just have to use your mind._

I looked around once more, taking stock to what my eyes could see. I looked up, expecting the trap door be visible to me and to still be open, but I was only greeted by more darkness.

_There's no way that this room has no exit or entrance apart from the trap door. I mean, that couldn't be the only thing this room was good for. Well, maybe considering that the Gylaxians aren't the ones who actually _built_ this place, maybe Void really had intended this room to serve as our prison or something. No, Daniel! Stop! Don't go down that road! Think! Void can't confine you in this room_—_that would be against the rules. He must have some sort of test! You just have to pass it and you can get out of this place._

I felt like a crazy person talking to myself like that, but it was helping me calm down. And, my thoughts really did make sense. Void can't cheat, therefore, that trap door has to be part of this stage and the only way we could leave this place was to face whatever Void has in-store for us.

"Now, what would that be, Void?" I muttered.

You know, when you're talking to yourself, you really don't expect anyone to answer your questions. After all, those questions are mostly metaphorical at best.

That was why, you can imagine my surprise (as if I hadn't been attacked with one surprise after another) when someone spoke and said, "Talking to yourself now, Daniel? I hope you're not losing your mind already. It would certainly make things a lot less...entertaining."

The voice surprised me, but not as much as the realization as to _who_ was speaking to me.

"You!" I growled, my hands were balled into fists and my teeth were clenched.

I didn't know if it was because of the uncontrollable anger that I felt or because of fear, though at having come face to face with the alien that had caused me so many heartaches and hardships. Number One. The Prayer.

"Surprised to see me, young Alien Hunter?" The Prayer asked, followed by the clattering of his teeth that I could only assume was him laughing. "I doubt you thought that Void would let me in this game of his. After all, all of this was meant to entertain us."

I didn't know what to do or what to say. I have waited for the moment to finally face the alien who had killed my family. I have fantasized besting him in combat and annihilating him on the face of the galaxy all for the sake of revenge and peace. But, during those thoughts of fighting against The Prayer, I wasn't helpless and I wasn't alone. My friends—my _drang_—even though they were merely creations from my own imagination, were always there to help me. My powers were always at my disposal as I imagined finally killing him.

Being in a closed space, with no back-up and no powers—this was definitely _not_ how I wanted to meet up with the most dangerous alien outlaw.

"What's the matter, Daniel X?" Leered The Prayer, "Don't have any of your witty retorts ready for this moment?"

"Oh, I have them, alright," I said, swallowing the lump on my throat, "I just didn't think that I would be facing you here."

"Ah, well, things are starting to get too boring for me," The Prayer said as he began walking towards me. I side-stepped, making sure that with every step he took, I took one back to increase the distance between us. As much as I want to rip his heart out—if he has one—I wasn't suicidal nor was I stupid to fight against him as handicapped as I was. "You and your friends were getting past level after level. The others are already screaming for blood and I would like nothing else than be the one to finish what I had failed to do years ago."

"Well, I'm sorry but you're going to leave here disappointed...again," I said, willing my voice to sound as confident as possible while racking my brain for some plan to get out of this alive. "I don't intend to die here."

"That's not something you get to decide, boy," hissed The Prayer as he charged up at me again.

With all the speed I could muster, I made sure to get as far away from him as I could. He followed me, of course, and when he thought I was going to keep on running, I whirled around and planted one, big punch at his ugly face, my hand scrapping at his labrum. I sucked back a breath as I jumped backwards and made a mad dash away from the howling alien. My hand was a bit bloody and was throbbing but I shook the thought away. The Prayer's face was as rough as one could imagine when seeing his Praying Mantis-like face.

The Prayer roared, clearly not happy with what I had managed to do and how he had fallen for that one. His wings, which had been hidden, expanded and he stood to his full height making me look and feel smaller than I already looked and felt. In the back of my mind I kept praying for a miracle, for either Emma or Willy, or both of them, to come rushing in and help me. But, I was beginning to really doubt that. If The Prayer was here, there was a chance that Emma and Willy were facing their own brand of nightmarish monster.

This was a fight that I alone need to face.

The Prayer charged at me yet again, and I began to see the futility of running away. I was merely tiring myself out faster than if I stood my ground and faced him. And so, I changed tactics. I let him come at me and readied myself with hand-to-hand combat. Not really the smartest of plans, but it was all I got. Several times I managed to hit him, all the while ducking from his pincers and from having my limbs decapitated. It wasn't easy, but I was holding my own. Although, The Prayer did manage to swipe at my arm and leg causing me to stumble once and barely avoiding being flattened when he jumped up and stomped on the ground where I had fallen a few seconds before.

"Graff trained you well in the art of melee fighting," The Prayer commented.

"My father taught me more than that," I spat, hating the way he talked about my dad like he knew him. "and I will use all of those things to pay you back for what you did to them!"

"Big words for a child who has only managed to win by fumbling around," came the snide remark. "You don't possess the same brains as your parents. Such a shame, really."

I couldn't contain the anger that I felt when he was talking about my parents. It was too much. And so, I did the stupidest thing I've ever done, ever since I was captured by Void and sent into this game. I blindly charged The Prayer, shouting at him to "shut the hell up".

One thing you have to remember in a fight is that you should never, _ever_ blindly attack your enemy. That you should keep your emotions in-check. The moment you lose it, the moment you let your emotions get the better of you, you are prone to make mistakes—and those mistakes can cost you your life. I should have remembered something as basic as that, but right then and there, facing with The Prayer, and he speaking of my parents like that, it made me abandon everything my dad had taught me.

I wasn't just an Alien Hunter. I don't think I was an Alien Hunter at that moment. I was just an orphaned son.

That was all the opening The Prayer was waiting for. I didn't even see him move under the blind rage that I was in. No sooner than that, I found myself being chocked by Number One. The sharp grip of his pincers cutting my wind pipe and drawing blood. My feet dangling from the ground. I struggled to breathe, to escape from his firm hold, to kick him and to put up as much fight as I could.

"Like I've said," The Prayer hissed, "You're nothing compared to your parents. You think you can beat me like that? Don't make me laugh!"

And then he threw me so far back that I ended up hitting one of the pillars that supported the room. The pillar didn't stop me from being flung farther back, though. It merely crumbled at the impact as I flew even farther back, until finally, my back hit the farthest wall and crumpling. Blood trickled down the crown of my head, falling into the sand-covered ground. I tasted my own blood and had to spit it out as my vision danced.

But I couldn't stay down for long, The Prayer was moving towards me. And so, I scrambled to my feet, preparing to fight again even as my whole body groaned and my mind begged me to stay down.

_I will not die here!_

"Give it up, Daniel X," The Prayer bellowed as he continued to move towards me. "Give me The List!"

My hand unconsciously moved to my pocket where I usually kept The List. But, it wasn't there. It wasn't with me. Not in this game. Instead, my hand brushed the weapon that Willy had given me before. The weapon that had destroyed the robots back in the apocalyptic Manhattan stage.

I wasn't as defenseless as I thought.

And The Prayer doesn't know that. Not yet.

I grinned, making a mental note that if I make it through this, I was going to thank Willy. Really thank him.

"Do you find something funny, Alien Hunter?" The Prayer mocked, "Do you find your looming death amusing?"

"No," I said, letting my grin widen. "But I find yours something to look forward to."

With a roar The Prayer went at me again. But this time I was ready. The pain from my wounds helped my mind clear up and, when he was close enough that my aim would not miss and when there was no chance for him to evade, I activated the Flame Sword and plunged it at The Prayer's chest—where I believed his heart to be.

The Prayer's compound eyes seem to widen even more, shock registering to his distorted facial features. I gasped as I found that he had also done a number at me. The blade of one of his forearms digging into my stomach.

"I'm...not afraid...of you," I managed to rasp out. Each breath was a labor.

"You should be, Daniel X," The Prayer said, his eyes fixated on me. "You should be."

Before I could give any remarks, The Prayer's body slowly disintegrated into bits of data. But not before he made sure to be the one who have the last word.

"It will not be easy when we finally meet," he said.

With The Prayer's body gone, nothing was holding my badly injured self up. Because of that, I ended up falling, face first, on the ground. I was losing blood, and fast. And there was nothing I could do about it. The health points I have were slowly dwindling away, hitting the single digits mark. I didn't have any healing items on me and I cursed myself for my unpreparedness.

As my vision slowly blurred and my consciousness slowly drifting away, I couldn't help but wonder: _Is this a game over for me?_

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

So, there you have it, folks! The fifteenth chapter of the story (not counting the first Interlude). The next update would be another Interlude chapter. I've already written it and all I can say is that it is shorter than all the other chapters I have so far. But, despite the length, I can assure you that it is very juicy.

Well, that's all for now. Please send me your reviews and tell me what you think about this chapter. Until then!


	17. Interlude 2

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So sorry about not being able to update sooner. So many things to do, so little time, you know. Not to mention that I got myself three new books, one of which is one that I have waited almost a year to come out-Heroes of Olympus 2: Son of Neptune. :)

Anyways, I was kind of surprised that no one (at the moment of this publishing) has reviewed the previous chapter yet. Come to think of it, the eighth chapter didn't garner any reviews either...and the previous chapter was-technically-the sixteenth chapter...hmmm...I'm seeing a trend here.

Well, I hope you guys enjoy this short chapter and that you would all review, if you can...and I hope you can and will!

So, with that said, enjoy!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Interlude II**

* * *

He sighed as he dropped the call's connection. Number One—the one Daniel X had called 'The Prayer'—was not happy having a clone of his used in one of Void's games. Void knew that there was going to be a chance that The Prayer would not like that, that he would be angry with him for even thinking of adding him to the game. But Void couldn't pass the chance up.

It had ended disastrously for the clone, which had led to Number One threatening him and telling him that the next time he uses The Prayer, Void has to make sure that it was Daniel X who would end up destroyed. Void couldn't promise that, though. He didn't particularly like the boy, but there were the rules to think about and he would not dare bend it to his will lest he wishes to suffer the repercussions of such action.

He hated the limits of his powers sometimes.

Still, Daniel X did not make it out of that battle unscathed. Void watched as the young Alien Hunter, even in the brink of unconsciousness, still continued to struggle, to stop the bleeding that the clone has inflicted.

"I wonder," he mused to himself.

Just then, one of his underlings appeared, knocking him out of his reverie.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Lord Void," the lab-coat-wearing-alien said, bowing his fish-like head, "She is ready."

Void nodded, "Good. It's time for the second phase."

"Are you sure that it is wise, sir?" The other alien asked, though he was afraid to question his superior's way of thinking. "What if the others learned about this? They will not be too happy with us."

Void shrugged as he walked past the scientist. "Will worry about that when we get there. Besides, as long as the others keep feeding the higher-ups false feeds, we won't have to worry about anything for long."

"Forgive me for saying this, Lord Void, but I still don't understand what's the point in all of this," the scientist said. "We already have the boy under our mercy, shouldn't we just get this over with?"

"Perhaps," was all Void gave him for an answer.

They walked silently after that with the scientist leading the way past rooms and corridors teeming with aliens in lab coats and engineer outfits. The cacophony of sounds from the machines and the various alien races made for an interesting soundtrack, an "Orchestra of Chaos" as Number Two liked to put it. Though it was more like an "Orchestra of Creation" for Void. After all, it was with these aliens and machineries that he had created the powerful realm of the game.

Soon Void and the scientist found themselves in a room filled with reclined, metallic chairs. These chairs hosted some of the more notable players of the game, particularly Daniel X and his _drang_—his friends: Emma, Willy, and Joe. The prize of Void's collection.

Although it was only their consciousness that was sent in the game, the injuries that they obtain from there, reaches their physical bodies. It was one of the things that made his "invention" quite fearsome. It was also the reason why blood was starting to pool around the place where Daniel X was strapped.

_Let the doctors deal with that_, Void thought to himself as he moved past them and towards the blond-haired, young woman that was being prepped on the other chair.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Void asked, giving her a look that reeks with worry...even though he was anything but.

The woman nodded, "Yes."

"You know what you have to do, right?"

"Of course."

"Don't fail me, Dana." Void said before moving away and letting the other scientists do their thing.

"I won't, Master Void." was her reply before she closed her eyes and the scientists plugged her into the game.

"Keep a close eye on her," Void instructed them.

"Yes, sir!" They replied, even going so far as to give him a salute.

As Void began to head back to his chambers to watch what was to unfold, he couldn't help but smile.

_There is more than one way to defeat an enemy, Daniel X. And I will show you that. A way to completely destroy an enemy. Let's see if you can find a way out of this and survive._

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Dun-dun-dun-duun!

*_Uses Announcer-voice_* What plans has Void have for our hero, Daniel X? What is it that Dana was tasked to do? How will this all end?...Not that this fanfic is ending any time soon! Find out on the next installment of: **Game Over**. *_End Announcer-voice_*

So...what do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Don't forget to review to let me know. Also, thanks to all those who continuously review this story. It makes updating that much easier. :)

Until the next update!


	18. Chapter 16

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Since I won't be able to update this weekend (I think, since I'm going to be in Manila with only my phones that could only update facebook and twitter, and possibly tumblr), I thought: _Why not update it again today (Friday)?_ So, what the heck? I updated it again. I hope you guys wouldn't mind reading _another_ chapter..._pfft_...who am I kidding? The previous chapters gave enough cliffhangers that could have earned me a threatening note if I didn't update as regularly as I am updating now.

Anyways, I hope you guys would enjoy this and that you will review. I also hope that this doesn't confuse anyone. Read on!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

My body felt as heavy as lead and every breath I took came at a toll. It wouldn't surprise me if beads of sweat had formed on my brow and had dampen my shirt with how much of a labor it is to just breathe. I knew I was getting closer to the end. I could no longer hear anything; could no longer see anything beyond the darkness that had consumed me; could o longer feel anything but dead weight.

And then that's when I started to hear it. A familiar voice calling for my name. And then someone shaking me.

_Don't they know that they're not helping? I'm bleeding to death, for goodness' sake!_

But they-whoever it was that was shaking me-wasn't deterred by the pool of blood that I imagined I was wallowing in, or the blood-soaked shirt that I could feel was clinging to my skin, or the fact that I was badly injured. Whoever it was that was shaking me, really wanted something from me.

"Daniel!" The voice was getting clearer and I could feel the haze enveloping me, lightening up. "Daniel, wake up!"

_Wake up? Shouldn't they be screaming something like: 'Don't you die on me'? _"Wake up!" certainly isn't what I had in mind to pull someone back from the land between the living and the dead...

"Daniel! I said: wake up!" The person that was shaking me, having decided that I wouldn't open my eyes simply by shaking me, had shouted on my ear. It was enough to force my eyes to open, and when it did, I was surprised to see what greeted me.

A pair of beautiful, blue eyes.

Disheveled locks of blond hair.

Lips the color of sweetbrier rose.

_It can't be..._

"Dana?" I croaked, my voice sounding hoarse, like I haven't had a drink in a long time.

Dana breathed a sigh of relief before giving me a small smile-a smile that I had missed _so_ much-and adjusting herself so that she was sitting.

"Finally," she said, "I've been trying to wake you up for a while now. You were thrashing in your sleep and moaning like you were in pain."

"I was...what?" it was the only thing that came out of my mouth, my hand raking my hair as I sat up as well. I had to shake my head and calm my thoughts in order to ask a decent question. "Dana? Is it really you?"

She gave me a bewildered look, "Of course it's me, silly. What's wrong? Are you still not feeling well? I knew having that second helping of Willy's cooking was _not_ a good idea."

"What are you talking about? How did you find me? How come you remember who I am? Where's Void? Where's The Prayer?" Questions-one after the other-escaped my lips, causing her frown to deepen and her confusion to worsen. I suppose we have that in common. We were both confused as to what was going on. But, I'm willing to bet that no one was as confused as I was.

"Alright, Daniel, hold up!" Dana said, holding a finger to my lips to shush me. "I really don't understand where all of these questions are coming from."

When she let me speak, I told her about everything that has happened. About the ambush, meeting Void, seeing her and her not recognizing me, being sent to Void's game, meeting Willy, Emma and Joe and learning that they were alive and weren't killed by Ergent Seth's First Strike, and all the things in between that leading up to my fight with The Prayer .

When I've finished, I imagined Dana would join me in wondering what happened. But, instead of that, she said, "You have the weirdest and most imaginative dreams, Daniel."

"But it wasn't a dream!" I argued. I was so sure of it. There was no way that was a dream. After all, my whole body was still feeling sore.

"Daniel, we haven't been fighting any alien outlaws in three years," her tone was gentle, "We don't have to. Your parents had been handling that as long as Willy and Emma's parents. At least, until we come of age."

"My...parents?" I frowned, I could imagine the cloud passing on my face. "Dana, my parents have long been dead."

"Don't say that!" she reprimanded me. "You'll jinx them. You should really shake the thought of that dream out of your mind."

I was about to tell her that she was wrong. That it wasn't a dream. But she shushed me with her finger again before putting a hand on my chest and pushing me down. It was then that I noticed what she was wearing...which, surprisingly, wasn't much, just a shirt that was too big for her and that reached to her thighs, and a very short pair of shorts. As my head hit the pillow and with her face so close, I was blushing and was so red that I was glad the room was poorly lit. I don't think I would have lived it down if someone teases me about blushing.

"Dana, what are you-?" I wanted to ask but she cut me off again.

"Shh," she said, a small, playful smile on her lips. "Let's just go back to bed. I'm sure everything will be clearer in the morning."

* * *

I woke up to the motion of someone jumping up and down on my bed and screaming my name, making my head hurt. I groaned and tried to block the noise out.

_Let 'em end up being tired,_ I thought to myself as I hitched the blanket further up to cover me face.

But the person who was ruining my sleep could not be deterred. It was like everyone was trying to test my patience-something that was currently quickly running out.

"Will you please stop that?" I hissed, opening my eyes and glaring at the offender.

But, whatever harsh words I had built up about not being able to sleep peacefully...those words died in my mouth as I was suddenly tackled by a little girl with light-brown hair tied in a pigtails.

"Danny, you're awake!" She squealed, never letting go of her vice-like hug and making it hard for me to breathe. "Finally!"

I looked at the pigtailed girl with big, brown eyes and knew immediately who it was. But I could dare not believe it. Had my powers come back and went haywire summoning not only Dana but my little sister, Brenda, as well without me knowing it?

"I've missed you so much!" she gushed.

_This is definitely not the Pork Chop that I remember. She would never tell me that!_

"Brenda?" I asked, choosing to call her by her name and not the nickname I've given her. "What's going on?"

She sat up and looked at me, a small frown on her face, "_That's_ what you ask me? We haven't seen each other in ages and you don't even ask me how I'm doing, or how my testing at the academy went?"

"Testing?" _What the heck is going on?_

She nodded, reverting back to her eager-beaver-self. "I've passed. They said I could be like mom and dad but that we have to wait for a while to see what powers I have. Of course, they also said that that was normal. They told me you didn't get your powers until mom and dad arrived on Terra Firma."

She went on and on about the academy and her testing and what kind of powers she hoped to have, all the while making me question my sanity. Or if I had died and have gone straight up to the place where dead people go to-heaven, nirvana, the great beyond, or whatever the hell they call it.

"Anyways," she said, finally releasing me from her bear-hug and jumping down my bed, "everyone's waiting downstairs. You better get dressed."

I nodded, not knowing what else to say and wondering what other surprises were in-store for me. Once Brenda was gone, I took a look at the room. It felt...familiar. Like I've been living here my whole life. Several shelves lined up the west wall-some of them containing action figures, others book, and there are even magazines stacked with magazines and video games. A sofa, a coffee table, and a flat-screen television also littered that side of the room, including a gaming console with the controllers lying on the ground haphazardly.

The bed I was lying in was disheveled and was too big for one person to sleep in.

My mind immediately went back to last night. To Dana lying beside me. The feel of her body next to mine. And that kiss she had given me. The kiss that sent sparks flying in my head and made me forget everything else and made me ten shades redder. The thought of Dana made me blush once more. I shook my head and decided it was high time to face whatever was waiting for me downstairs. Taking a pair of jeans from the closet, I immediately dressed up.

Something caught my eye as I passed through the doorway. Stopping, I inspected it and I was surprised to see the growth marks that my mom had etched, displaying how much height I have gained over time. I remembered my room back in Kansas. It had the same markings, the same dates...and then realization dawned upon me.

I quickly got to my feet, scanned the room in a new light. Even though I could see it, I could hardly believe it. I was back in Kansas. Back in the house that The Prayer had burned years ago. The place where all my nightmares began.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

I have to remind everyone again that I _may_ not be able to update this weekend. Because of that, you can expect an update late Sunday night or early Monday morning...it really depends on what time I get back from my trip (see blog for more details).

That's that. Hope you guys tell me what you think of this chapter and review.

Happy weekend!


	19. Chapter 17

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I know. I promised an update as soon as we got back from our trip. Unfortunately, we ended up getting back home very late in the evening and I was already tired that I didn't have time to boot up my computer, log in to the internet, open up a browser and head to FFN, log in to my account, and publish this chapter. That's why the update has been delayed by a few hours. Sorry about that.

Anyways, thanks to those who had reviewed the previous chapter. You guys have no idea—or maybe you do—how much I appreciate those reviews! They make me smile and keep me writing. They're like a drug—the good kind, though. So, yeah...keep those reviews coming!

Having said that, I hope you enjoy this newest chapter. :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea for this fanfic and this fanfic itself.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

The gears in my mind—metaphorically speaking—were working overtime as I raced down the flight of stairs and into the chattering voices, the familiar voices, that were emanating from the kitchen. There were so many questions. Oh, so many of them that I didn't know what to ask first, which one to find answers first.

_This has to be some sort of trap!_ My mind screamed at me.

But, even though I was thinking that...I couldn't help but wonder that-if this was, indeed, something Void cooked up—how would he know about my sister? Pork Chop—Brenda—no one knows about her. Well, no one that's still alive would know about my unborn sister. The fact that she was here would either mean my powers were back and were going haywire as I first suspected or...

I shook my head. I couldn't dare hope that what Dana had told me before we fell asleep in each other's arms was true.

When I reached the kitchen, stepping inside, all heads turned to face me. The expression on their faces were one of happiness. Like I was _meant _to be there. Like there was absolutely nothing wrong with the whole picture. Like I was the only one thinking about how wrong this all felt, this all was.

"Mom?"

"Oh, hi, honey," my mom greeted me with as smile as she dried her hands on a dish-towel. "Breakfast?"

Seeing my mother, dressed in normal, housewife clothing and in something I always imagined my mom would dress like upon getting back from work and doing something so mundane as preparing breakfast, made a lump in my throat that I had to force down. It was something I hadn't expect to see again. Not after what The Prayer did. Sure I can 'create' my mom from my memory and make her do these things but...this was...different.

"Don't just stand there, Daniel. Take a seat so we can have our breakfast," my dad said, folding the newspaper that he was reading and setting it down on the table.

Both my parents look way older than I remember them. Like they didn't die when I was a kid.

_"What are you talking about, Daniel? The Prayer never murdered your mother and father,"_ That was what Dana had told me last night. _"Don't you remember? Your parents got a tip of The Prayer coming and you all left before he could get to you."_

"What are you waiting for, Danny?" Brenda asked, tapping her fingers on the wooden diner table.

"S-sorry," I stuttered as I took my seat next to her. I couldn't keep myself from staring at her, then to my dad, and then to my mom and back again.

"What is wrong with you?" Brenda asked me just as she was about to take one giant bite off the sandwich that mom had handed to her.

"Are you feeling alright, honey?" My mom chimed in before putting a hand on my forehead, "Dana told me you had a very bad dream last night."

I nodded, once again unsure of what to tell her.

"I...I'm fine." I did manage to say after a while when she continued fussing over me. "Really, mom...just a little bit...unsettled, that's all. Where is Dana anyway?"

"She had to go out and help Willy and Emma's parents get settled in. Joe-Joe's with Willy getting the groceries." mom sat down to eat, but before she could even put a spoon-full of bacon and rice in her mouth, she looked at me with a serious expression on her face that only moms could pull off, and said, "I do hope you and Dana didn't do anything...inappropriate while we were away."

I was taking a drink when my mom asked that question, and I choked on it. Brenda, being her helpful, little sister-self, merely laughed while I struggled.

When the coughing fit had ended, and I could speak again, all I could manage to say was: "Mom!"

"I'm just saying."

* * *

Alone, in my room, I began to sort out my thoughts—which were a jumbled mess—while looking over at my window.

My body still felt sore but when I checked at the mirror, there was no wound, no scratches, no bruises. The same could be said about my stomach. It hurt like hell. Like I had been stabbed there, like in the dream with that battle against The Prayer.

Unconsciously, my hands grazed the place where The Prayer had impaled me with the blade on his forehand. Even touching it hurts—another testament that what I had was more than just a dream. But the explanation as to what happened, as to what all that was, left me. Smart as I may be, I'm not omniscient—I don't know _everything_.

I suppose I was so deep in thought that I didn't realize I was no longer alone in my room until Dana spoke, hugging me from behind and surprising me and causing pain to shot up from my stomach from when her arms brushed it.

"Thinking too much again?" she asked, her voice slightly muffled.

"A little bit, I guess," was my reply. Not looking at her and letting her see the frown that was on my face.

"About your dream?"

"I don't think it is a dream, Dana. I mean, how am I supposed to know that all of this is not something that happened because I got my powers back and it all went haywire and I'm trapping myself in my own creations? How do I know that you're real? That this isn't just a dream?" It was the same argument I had on my head.

She pushed herself away and placed a hand on my cheek, then she made me look at her. The look in her eyes, it made me wonder if I'm thinking of it all wrong. The way she looked at me made me forget what I was even worried about and it made me feel bad for making her worry about me, too.

Looking at her, I couldn't help but think: _This can't be a dream; this can't be a trap. Void could never have made anyone fake that look._

"What does your heart tell you right now, Daniel?" She asked. She sounded and looked so serious but, even so, her eyes...they captivated me, drew me into every word she was saying as she repeated her earlier question, "Tell me Daniel X, what does your heart tell you right now? Is it telling you that this is a dream? That I'm nothing more than a figment of your imagination? A creation of your powers?"

I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of her warm hand to my cheek as I pressed my hand to hers to keep it there before opening my eyes.

For the first time in a long time, my mind felt clear. And so, the answer that I gave her, at that time, it was the answer that I found in my heart, "No. It's telling me that this can't be a dream. It's telling me that I am happy to be with you and Willy, and Emma, and Joe, and my family."

Dana nodded and smiled, "So, there you have it. Get your mind out of the train of thought you had been having ever since you woke up. This is real, Daniel. _We're_ real."

I smiled back at her. I guess it was the first real smile I made ever since waking up and, when she saw the smile I had, her own smile widened before she closed the space between us and gave me a soft, gentle kiss.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Please don't tell me that this chapter is short. I already know that. And I don't think I would have liked to write it any differently or make it longer. I intended to end it the way I ended it. So, there.

I really hope you guys liked this chapter, and I hope you will review and tell me what you think. To those who had favorited this chapter and put me in their author's alert and favorite author's list, thank you. Really, it means a lot!

I may be able to update tomorrow, if nothing comes up. If something does come up, updates would be on Wednesday. Once again, I will mention this beforehand, there will be _no_ updates this weekend, and maybe even Monday next week. My sister is still doing her Board Exam and we will, once again, be in Manila during those days. So, having said that, I have, like, four days to update. Hopefully I _will_ be able to update during those four days. You will know what the case may be by visiting my blog (check author profile for link) or my twitter and tumblr accounts (you guys could follow me there, too). :)

Well, that's that. Until the next update. Ciao!


	20. Chapter 18

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So, I had just finished reading the second book of Heroes of Olympus, which is Son of Neptune and boy, is my mind reeling from the cliffhanger that Rick Riordan decided to throw at us readers. I needed something to take my mind off the series, because I am seriously freaked out that Rick Riordan would do something that would push Annabeth and Percy apart—and I _do not_ want that to happen! I seriously do not! So, I decided to go on ahead and publish this chapter...then go back to writing the remaining chapters just so I wouldn't think about Heroes of Olympus. Gah! Fall 2012 is such a long time away!

Must. Be. Patient!

Anyways, enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

I woke up feeling brighter and lighter than I had the previous night. I felt as though I was ready for anything and everything that would come my way that day. I was no longer confused. I knew who I am, where I am, and what I was supposed to do. I couldn't believe that I'd forgotten what had really happened. I couldn't believe that I was holding on to a dream—a nightmare.

I was thankful for Dana opening my eyes to the truth. That this was real. My family was alive. My _drang_ was all here. And she was with me and that we had been going out for...well, for years, ever since my dad and Willy's dad managed to finish the little teleportation device they had been working on, which made traveling from Terra Firma to Alpar Nok easier.

I couldn't believe how I could have forgotten even the simplest of details in my life. How I am already on the junior class in the academy, with Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe. How my parents had been working around the clock to make sure that Terra Firma and the Outer Worlds was safe, coming home once or twice a week before going off on another hunt. How Brenda was so excited about going to the academy and hoping that her powers was something cool, and classy. There was so many things I could list that I have forgotten, all because of a stupid nightmare.

I bounded into the kitchen just in time to see my dad and my mom leaving for "work". They smiled warmly at me the moment they saw me. My dad even going so far as ruffling my hair.

"Now, food's already cooked, you just need to reheat it later," my mom gave instructions, "I've labeled them too. And, in case you get hungry and we ran out of food, there's money on the drawer."

I nodded, making sure to remember everything she was telling me even though I know I have to hurry as well. Classes at the academy were going to start in an hour and I have yet to prepare.

"And," my dad added, giving me a pointed look, "don't use the credit card _unless_ it's an emergency. A _real_ emergency."

I smiled sheepishly as I remembered having used my dad's credit card—and not the normal kind, mind you, the _galactic_ kind—just to buy the awesome, pair of shoes and pants. My dad was _not_ happy and I got in a lot of trouble. One, for using said credit card when it was clearly not an emergency; and, two, with the clerk. Alien-technology and stuff do not mix well with the locals of Terra Firma.

Of course, I should have known that but...the clothes blinded me, as it should. I was panicking about my date with Dana and about not having the proper attire for it. So, yeah...that went well.

"It won't happen again, dad," I said, making sure that my dad understood that I meant it. And I did.

"Good." He said before turning to Brenda and saying, "Now, be sure to listen to Daniel, okay? Don't cause any trouble in the academy. Be a good girl."

Brenda nodded enthusiastically, I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

After that, my parents left. It would be another week before we see them. Not that that would be a long time, after all, we had a lot of things to do back in the academy to occupy our week and speed up our time.

* * *

"Are you sure you got everything?" I asked for what may have been the hundredth time, but I didn't care.

"Yes," Brenda rolled her eyes as she answered me. "I quadrupled check, Danny."

"Good. Just making sure." I said, feeling a little bit nervous even though I know I shouldn't be. "You're staying with Blaleen tonight, right?"

"Right."

"And you sure you have everything you're going to need?"

I guess that was the last straw since Brenda whirled around and looked at me, her hands on her hips and she sighed. "Really, Danny. Chill!" It didn't take a while though for a small smile to tug at her lips and for her to say, "You're worse than mom sometimes."

After making sure that I have everything that _I _need, Brenda and I met up with Dana at the teleportation device's gateway. After greeting us, she led the way through the portal and before you can say "Space Travel", we've already arrived at our destination—which was right at the middle of Blaleen's neighborhood.

Brenda left us as soon as we arrived. Since her classes don't start until much later, she had been hanging out with our cousins at Blaleen's place. I don't have any complaints about that. After all, I get to spend even more time with Dana while we make our way to the academy. Even though we go to the same "school", Dana and I never have the same classes together. For as long as I could remember I was always at a different class and, even if we have the same courses, those courses would be in different times so the only time we get to spend together during "school days" was the walk to and from the academy, as well as lunch breaks.

I don't know what you would expect in an Alien Hunter Academy. But, whatever it is, I'm sorry to disappoint, but it's not as cool as that. Our classes are as boring as those in Terra Firma and mostly revolves in lectures, complex assignments, and even complex hands-on training and experiments. If there was one thing that was interesting about the academy, it would have to be our sport: _BlitzBlast_. There is no better way to describe said sport than to let you guys imagine a team, composed of six players, playing a mixture of earthly sports like Basketball, Football, Soccer, and Baseball while they are in a zero-gravity field. It's kind of a confusing game, which is why—I suppose—they call it that, BlitzBlast.

Not to brag or anything, but I'm one of the academy's varsity team members for BlitzBlast which makes the academy that much more bearable.

Anyways, like I've said, classes are generally boring—at least, for me they are—Emma, on the other hand, loves the classes. And, I think Dana does, too. You can never get the two of them to skip classes or could talk them out to doing their homework some other time. So, when our classes are finally over, I made my way as fast as I could to the locker rooms to change and to train with the rest of my teammates which included Willy.

"So, another week of freedom, huh?" Willy said, smirking.

"And added responsibilities," I told him as I started swinging my bat around. "It's not all fun and games, Will."

"I don't buy that," he chuckled as we walked side-by-side towards the field. "especially considering Dana lives with you."

I shrugged while fighting the blush that was creeping to my face. Willy always teases me about Dana living in the same house as me. And even though he does it constantly, I still haven't gotten used to it. "It's not like we do anything..."

"Rated-M?" finished Willy.

I cleared my throat, choosing not to comment. Not that Dana and I have, you know...done anything like that. Sure she and I have shared kisses and have slept in the same bed (once in a while) but, anything beyond that...well, there's nothing anything beyond that for us.

I could see Willy coming up with a whole set of things to tease me about. Thankfully, the anti-gravity machine kicked in and the game began and he had to focus on making sure to block the balls heading to our goal post and to pitch those balls to me so that I can hit it to our other teammates and they could score a goal. The game lasted for almost an hour before the coach let us take a couple of minutes rest before he sent us on a jog around the field. When that was done, we were allowed to leave practice and change.

Emma and Dana were waiting for me outside the locker rooms when I came out, after taking a quick shower.

"How was practice?" Dana asked as she and Emma walked towards me.

"Same old, same old," was my answer.

"I hope Willy didn't cause you any problems this time, Daniel," Emma said as she tried to balance the stacks of books in her arms.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," I said as I took some of the books that she was carrying. There was no way I was just going to let her carry something so heavy like that. "Should we wait for him?"

Emma smiled, "No. He and Joe are going off somewhere...I'm not really sure where, though. They rarely tell me any of their plans."

"Well, I can see why." Dana laughed, "You always get them in trouble with your parents."

"They get themselves in trouble, not me," Emma retorted with a pout.

I couldn't help but laugh. I liked the normalcy of all of this. Even though, at the back of my mind, something was screaming at me. Screaming words that I couldn't understand and that I quickly shook away.

* * *

There was nothing but static. I couldn't see anything but fuzzy lines. And then I could hear the voice...

"Are you...S...this...can't fall..."

I couldn't understand what it was saying. The words were getting cut off and mixed and jumbled.

"You...can't...st...fight...od..."

Even though I strained my ears, the words were hidden behind the hum of static.

"Go...to...her...om...ent...ave...mber..."

I didn't know why I even bothered to try and hear.

"Don...t...o...eep...thing..."

It didn't seem like anything important.

"a..e...up...niel..."

_But why does it sound like it is?_

"….."

_Why?_

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Don't have much to say at this point _except:_ **PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS! :)**


	21. Chapter 19

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry about not being able to update yesterday. Think of it as me giving the other readers some breathing room since I have been updating very, very frequently. Anyways, my whole day yesterday had revolved around me listening Lauren Alaina's debut album "Wildflower", so, yeah...I couldn't write a chapter (albeit I had written this chapter beforehand). You guys should check that album out, especially if you're a Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift fan. And most definitely if you're a country music fan like me.

Not only that but something came up and I couldn't really think straight (couldn't do that still today but it wasn't as bad as yesterday). So...yeah...

Anyways, enjoy this chapter and thanks to those who had reviewed.

**End of Author's Notes**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

The light from the sun that seeped through my open window momentarily blinded me as I slowly opened my eyes and squinted them close again. The sound of static still ringing in my ears even though the supposed words that accompanied it had long gone and I could no longer remember.

I groaned as I shook the foreboding thoughts from my head. I was thinking too much again.

_It's just a dream. There's nothing more to it than that._

I took a moment to compose myself, wondering if I would**—**should**—**tell Dana about it. Or maybe my parents. I wasn't sure if those dreams were stressed-induced or something caused by some sort of anxiety. Though I doubt that was the case. I wasn't anxious about anything, nor was I stressed about anything as well. My life was perfect.

_"Don't you think it's _too _perfect_?" A voice-one that I felt I should recognize suddenly spoke.

_What the heck? _It caught me off guard that I almost fell out from my bed.

I looked around. I was the only one in my room. I tried listening again, keeping my eyes peeled.

I was about to give it up and chuck it up at still being groggy when it spoke again, "_What's the matter with you?_"

"Willy? Joe?" I asked, as I cautiously made my way to the window. "Is this some kind of prank?"

But, when I peered outside, ready to give both of them a good whack at the head, they weren't there. No one was.

_This is _not _funny._

_"I sure hope not, but you really look like you're having a time of your life."_

I frowned, making my way downstairs thinking that maybe whoever was talking was somewhere inside the house. But, after looking at every single room (hey, we _do_ have pretty good hearing), I came to realize that no one was in the house. I was the only one there. A note on the fridge told me that my parents had gone to the market taking Brenda along. Dana was with Emma as I vaguely recalled her telling me that they would be going to the mall themselves for some "girl time".

I shook my head, all the while thinking if I was starting to lose it. Maybe I, myself, had gotten hit in the head one too many times.

"Alright, who's there?" I asked the question aloud, looking around while I stood in the middle of the living room. "Show yourself!"

No answer. Just...the sound of static again.

That made me frown even more. _What the heck's going on?_

* * *

"You look like you hadn't had much sleep lately," Willy stated. We were in the cafeteria. It was lunch time.

I didn't bother to answer him with actual words. I just grunted.

"Bet you he couldn't sleep because he's worried about Dana," Joe said before stuffing his mouth with a big, blob of who-knows-what cafeteria food. How he could eat the stuff was beyond me. Sure, we may be aliens but even we**—**well, most of us**—**have tastes. Some even more sophisticated than others.

I frowned. I hadn't seen Dana for two days now. Mom and dad seem to know where she went but they wouldn't tell me. It bothered me. I mean, why would they hide Dana's whereabouts from me? So, yeah. I was also in a bad mood because of that and that is also one of the reason why I haven't had much sleep lately. The other one, of course, was my dream. My recurring dream.

The dream was strange, even for me. I didn't really see anything just the lines of static and there's just the voice of someone speaking through a faulty communication line. Over and over that dream would occur and then I would wake up and think that someone was actually talking to me. Trouble was, with Brenda with Blaleen and my parents always out on hunts, I was always home alone...especially since two days ago.

"They still haven't told you where she is?" Emma asked. I could hear the worry in her voice. She doesn't like not knowing about it as well.

"No," I grunted the answer again as I played with my food. "Mom told me Dana will be back soon."

"I wonder what's so top secret that she didn't even bother to tell us about it," Joe said in-between mouthfuls. "We're her _drang_, for crying out loud!"

"Well, we can bet it's not some sort of 'secret mission', we're not allowed to go solo." Willy stated the obvious, "Maybe it's some sort of family problem?"

"From who? Her long, lost cousin's aunt's brother's third cousin twice removed?" I couldn't help the sarcasm that was laced with those words. It was no 'family problem'. Dana doesn't have any family left. That was the whole reason why she was staying with _my_ family. Her parents had died on one of their group hunts. Her grandparents are long gone, too. She didn't have any brothers, uncles, or aunts. There was no reason why she would be gone so long. And there was no reason why she would hide her reasons from me.

"Daniel has a point," Emma interjected. "Still, there's nothing we can do. Thinking about where Dana is and what she's doing isn't going to change the fact that she's not here. We can only hope that she's safe."

I nodded. _Trust Emma to say something like that._

* * *

It was burning. The smoke was suffocating. I felt so small. Literally small. I was holding on to something. The ground beneath my feet was wobbly. It jostled me.

Then I noticed that I wasn't really walking. I was just standing still. But I was moving. Farther and farther away from the burning building.

My eyes stung.

The wind blew.

I lost my hold on whatever it was that I was holding on to and I came crashing down to the ground. It didn't hurt too much. But I felt numb. My heart was beating wildly in my chest.

There was a sound of footstep, and crunching gravel and leaves. I looked up. The owner of those footsteps seemed familiar but I didn't know who he was. What I did know was that I hated that person. And, I was afraid of him.

My heart clenched in my chest. A pain that can't be cured.

My heart continued its pounding. _Thathump-thathump-thathump!_

I was worried that he would hear me. That he would turn around and that he would find me. I didn't know why, but I knew that I was in danger. I knew that he couldn't**—**mustn't**—**see me. And so, I lay low. Waiting, and waiting, until he was finally gone.

When my eyes can no longer see him, it was drawn to the burning building. The fires totally consuming the place. Sparks were flying and the foundations were crumbling.

And then realization sets in.

It wasn't just any burning building. It was a burning house. _Our_ house.

"No..." I groaned, quickly shuffling to my feet. Then I noticed, the reason why I felt so small and everything seems larger than they should.

I wasn't myself. I was a tick. But, before I could panic about why I was a tick, I shifted back to myself. A much younger me.

Tears were streaming down my eyes as the house burned down. Then a memory flashed. Two people lying on the blood-soaked ground. Two familiar people.

My mom and dad.

"No...No. NO!"

* * *

"NO!" I shouted. My heart was pounding more so than before. Sweat trickled down my forehead, my neck, and my back, soaking my shirt more. The sheets were a mess, my pillows were no longer at the head of my bed but was littered on the ground.

I looked wildly around.

I was alone. There was no fire.

_Just a dream_. I kept chanting, _It was just a dream._

But, even as I thought that, my body felt like it didn't agree. It shook and I felt cold**—**like I was doused with water straight from the north pole, or somewhere colder.

My mind raced to the retreating figure that I had seen in that dream. The Prayer. I couldn't be mistaken. I knew it was the alien that my parents had been trying so hard to conquer. I looked at my hands, chucking the thought that perhaps I had the power to glimpse into the future and that that dream was a warning of what might happen. Because it can't be a warning. Not when the me that was in that dream was younger than the me now. Not when the house looked newer, not like the way the house was now.

_But then...what?_

I closed my eyes. I wouldn't find the answers panicking. I had to relax, to clear my head. The vision, or dream, or nightmare, or whatever you want to call it, swam in my head. It kept playing back, over and over again like a broken video recording. I closed my eyes tighter, gritted my teeth, my hands raking my head, pulling my hair. My breathing became labored but I couldn't shake the dream free. It was there. It was...

"ot...eam...!" I opened my eyes, the staticky voice was back. "ot...ream...!"

I stood up. It was somehow getting clearer.

"What?" I whispered, my voice shaky. "Who's there?"

"niel...ake..up!" It was getting louder, too. "n't..eal...ick...have...ke...up..or..an't..ie!"

"I don't understand what you're saying!" I shouted, whirling around in my room. Everything was quiet except for the noises I was making and the noises that seem to be coming from inside my head. "I...I don't!"

There was a sound like an opus 50/50 being charged. My knees buckled and my field of vision dimmed and swayed. I felt nauseous. I felt like I was going to throw up. Then the pain in my stomach began to intensify. It was like I was knifed and gutted and it hurt. So. Much.

And then the voice came, slightly muffled at first but clearer. So much clearer that I understood the words.

"Daniel, wake up!" It said, surprising me. "It isn't real! It's a trick! You have to wake up or you'll die! You _can't_ die!"

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that's the nineteenth chapter of the story. What do you guys think? What would happen next? An Interlude chapter would be coming out after the next chapter so you can expect more revelations along the way. One of the things that the Interlude chapter would tell is what power does Dana have exactly. You would have to wait after the next chapter to find out.

Please review if you have time. Tell me what you think. Okay?

Thanks.

So, until the next time! Peace out!

**End of Post Author's Notes**


	22. Chapter 20

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**By Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters. I have to say, this chapter is a lot shorter than the rest. But I hope that it will be enough to satiate your Daniel X fanfiction cravings until I get back from Manila.

With that said, please enjoy this chapter! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over **

**Chapter Twenty**

* * *

"Wake...up?"

What was going on? Was I trapped in some sort of dream, or nightmare? Was this like that movie, _Inception_? I shook my head, because it can't be a dream. It just can't.

I gritted my teeth and balled my fist, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

If it wasn't a dream then that could only mean one thing: an alien, probably one of my parents' enemies, was playing with my mind. And I did not like it. Not one bit.

There was a minute of silence, followed by an audible sigh before the voice spoke again, "You can hear us? That's good, we're getting through."

My knees began to feel like jelly. The voices...they sound so familiar.

"Getting through? What are you—? Who are you?" I was getting angry.

"What do you mean 'who are you'?" The voice asked, sounding agitated. "Are you paying us back or something?"

"Stop it, Willy!" another voice became audible. "The connection's not stable. You might harm Daniel if you confuse him even more."

"W-Willy?" My mind was swimming.

"Daniel, listen carefully," the second voice said. "Everything you have experienced so far in that place isn't real. None of it was. Dana, she had been messing with your head. You were right about her. She's working for Void. She's working _against _us."

"Dana is...what? What are you talking about?" I shouted.

"Don't you remember? We fell into a trap and, according to Joe, you fought with The Prayer in Void's game!" the first voice shouted back. "Don't you remember the game, Daniel? Think back! Don't let this illusion keep on fooling you!"

_Illusion?_ My mind reeled. I really felt sick. _This whole place is...an illusion?_

"You have to remember by yourself, Daniel," the voice went on when I didn't speak. "That's the only way you can break through Dana's power."

"I don't understand!" I cried out just as my knees finally give and I tumbled to the floor. "Dana...she won't do this to me!"

Silence.

"But she is," came a third voice. "Daniel, listen carefully, you are under her illusion. Unless you break free from it, you are going to die. You're bleeding to death, you're rejecting healing yourself, you're even rejecting our healing supplies."

"I don't-"

But even before I could say anything, a memory flashed by me. A memory of going to Akihabara, my friends—my _drang_—were with me; of being attacked by robotic, humanoid creatures; of being strapped to a metallic chair; of being transported into a video game-esque world; of meeting my friends who don't seem to remember who I am and who kept telling me that the Daniel they know was already dead; and of so many other things that had happened from that point up to falling and finding myself in a huge room, battling against The Prayer.

My eyes widened in surprise. The Prayer. I had fought with him and I was so angry with him...but I couldn't remember why.

_The list..._

The memory surprised me. It came so quick. My previous dream wasn't a dream. It was a memory. The Prayer _had _attacked my parents in our home; had murdered them all for The List. I had survived because I transformed myself into a tick and clung into the Prayer.

I was on my knees, shaking. What these people were saying, they were true.

_But, that means that Dana _lied_ to me. _

Suddenly, cracks began to appear everywhere: the walls, the floor, the ceiling, even outside with the sky, the hills, the grass. And then, everything began to crumble, like a glass being broken, pieces began to fall off of them.

"That's right, Daniel," coaxed the voice, "Keep remembering."

I closed my eyes. _What more do they want me to remember? _

My heart squeezed in my chest. It hurt. The memories hurt. I didn't want to remember any more. I knew what awaited me beyond those memories: loss, misery, heartache. Who would want that? But, more than anything, I didn't want to die. I suppose, the desire to live outweighed the things in my past because soon, the walls were crumbling so fast and the world I was in began to lose focus. My memories were returning to me.

I am Daniel X, son of Graff and Altrelda. Avenger and Alien Hunter.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Told y'all it will be a short one. What do you guys think? Send a review, will ya?

Anyways, the next chapter would be published as soon as I can manage to do so. It will also be another interlude chapter. Hopefully, it will be longer than this. XD

Well, until then! Ciao!


	23. Interlude 3

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So, yeah...I didn't expect to be able to update today. I'm not feeling all that good but, I couldn't really resist updating this fanfic this week. So, yeah...there goes my short hiatus. I do hope that the others who had been reading this fanfic had managed to catch up with the rest now. Anyways, here's the third interlude chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Interlude 3**

* * *

Joe didn't know what to think. It was—in his opinion—quite confusing. Not that he expected to know _everything_. He knew that, regardless of how high their IQs were supposed to be, they would _never _be all-knowing, all-seeing, and omnipotent creatures. He didn't bother to try to know everything but, at that particular instance, he wanted to know just what, exactly, was going on.

He was surprised when Willy and Emma suddenly barged into The Slums. He remembered seeing Willy carrying a bleeding and unconscious Daniel. But the surprise didn't end there. Emma was leading a bound and captive blond-haired, blue-eyed girl. One he knew too well and didn't expect to see in such a state—Dana.

"What's going on?" He had asked as he tentatively stepped away from the desk that had housed all of his research regarding The Game. He didn't expect to see them so soon. "What happened?"

"Trap," Willy grunted as he laid Daniel down on the ground. "We got separated and when we found a way out of the rooms and to him, he was bleeding and unconscious and _she_ was with him." Willy then jabbed his thumb at the direction where Dana was standing, her face was marred with concentration and effort and she was staring at Daniel, not caring about the looks she was receiving from any of them. She didn't even seem to care that she was being held prisoner. It was either that or she didn't _know _she was a prisoner.

"She...Dana wouldn't tell us anything," supplied Emma who had a pained look in her face. "We tried everything. We even managed to use up all the healing items we have but, Daniel's wound wouldn't close and he just kept bleeding. We were lucky we were near the Gate and you showed us how to get here."

Joe nodded though he wasn't sure what good it would do bringing Daniel X at The Slums. He wasn't a doctor and, if Emma couldn't heal him and if Daniel's own regenerative and healing powers doesn't work, well...Joe would rather not think about that. Even so, Joe went over to Daniel and lifted his already tattered shirt revealing a very messy wound.

He frowned. There was no way that Dana would have been able to do something like this. It was...brutal. And, even though Dana didn't seem to know and remember them, he didn't think that she would be capable of something like this.

"Have you tried using your energy to heal him?" He asked Emma.

Emma nodded, "I've tried but...it's like he's rejecting it. Blocking it."

Joe nodded before he went back to the desk, took his Symbiote and began scanning Daniel, looking for something that would show him that Void had placed a jammer on their friend. But, no matter how many times he scanned Daniel, there was no sign of a jammer. He was clear.

"What are we going to do?" Willy asked, raking his hair with his hand, forgetting for a moment that they were bloody and leaving a trail of crimson in his hair and his forehead.

That was the question, wasn't it? And Joe wasn't sure what answer he needed to give and what answer there was.

* * *

Void stared at the screens in front of him in his private quarters. It was quite interesting watching two scenarios being played out in them. One was of Daniel in his own, little world. His mission slowly being forgotten as he continued to slip into the false history that they had made for him. The other was of his friends who seem to fail to grasp just how far and wide his hold on his game was. There was no real safe zones, no place they would and could go that he would not be able to track them, see them, hear them. He was the god in that world. The all-seeing and powerful god.

He let out a chuckle. _These children have a lot to learn._

He let his concentration fall into Daniel's _drang_. The events that were going on with Daniel X had been quite boring, slipping into the normalcy of life—or should he say, of the life that would have been if Daniel hadn't been so unlucky in life. He watched eagerly, wondering what his friends would do to stop Daniel from bleeding out. He also watched as the girl continued on with her mission, unbeknownst to those around her. Just thinking about how clueless they all were, Void couldn't help but laugh once more.

It was such a shame that he couldn't communicate with the girl while she was in the game. He would have ordered her to do something more. Maybe something to dampen the spirits of the three other alien hunters a bit more.

His eyes flickered back to the other screen. To Daniel's laughing face. Void was glad that they weren't airing anything for the moment, having called for a temporary halt in the broadcast of The Game. Blaming it to emergency maintenance because of the battle between The Prayer and Daniel X. If The Prayer ever learned about what Daniel was experiencing—which was the peaceful life of the 'What If', The Prayer would certainly not be happy...

_...And neither will Number Two. _

And he can't afford them to become suspicious of him, that would put all his plans to jeopardy.

* * *

It was...strange. Those people around her and everything that was going on. The looks they were giving her, the frown, their faces, and even the Alien Hunter, Daniel X...it somehow unnerved. Which was confusing since it wasn't the first time she saw them. After all, she had watched them back in Void's headquarters. But, even though she knew about them, she didn't know how to explain what it was she was feeling. She didn't even know what that feeling was.

Void had given her one instruction, and that was to use her powers to make sure that Daniel X is destroyed. That she was to use her powers to make Daniel confused and shatter his will.

She remembered what Void's exact words are: "One way to destroy your enemy is to shake up his resolve to fight. Make him forget why he is fighting, Dana."

She had nodded, she understood where Void was going.

Void had then placed both hands on her shoulders and stared deeply in her eyes before he went on to say, "You have the power to do that, Dana. The power to make him give up on his cause." He then smiled at her and added, "The power to destroy him completely."

That was something she thought she understood. After all, her ability—her power—Void had pointed out that it was rare and very, very powerful. And Void had shown her just how much. He had, after all, built his "empire" around her. She was, what Void had called, the Pillar of the whole operation.

But, when she had used her power on Daniel X. She was shocked to see that she was in that world with him and the other Alien Hunters. She was surprised with the way Daniel had interacted with her there. Surprised with the warmth that had emanated from him whenever that 'other' Dana was around. The way he looked at her, in that place, made her feel a fluttering in the pit of her stomach and an inexplicable feeling in her chest. She could not remember the last time she felt that way.

She knew she had to concentrate lest the connection was lost, and she could not afford loosing said connection. If she does, she would have failed her mission and Void would not be pleased with that. Who knows what he would do to her. Even though Void had told her she was irreplaceable and important, she was still wary of him. There were other forms of punishment, other than death that he could impose on her. Failure was definitely _not_ an option.

And yet, as she continued with her ministrations, with every scene that played out in Daniel X's mind, Dana began to wonder. She began to wonder about the boy she was tasked to destroy. To wonder why his eyes would light up whenever he sees her; why his smile was more radiant when she was around. She wondered why Void and Number Two, and even at times, The Prayer and the other aliens she had met, were afraid of him when she found nothing to fear about him at all. He wasn't as frightening as how Void and the stories had described him. He wasn't at all a war-freak as she had imagined an Alien Hunter would be like.

He would always worry about her. But...why? This Daniel didn't know who she was and the only time they had met was when she had sent him into The Game. So, why then did everyone seem to know her? Who were these people? Dana didn't know but deep down she felt that she should know. And that only added to her confusion.

* * *

"We have to communicate with him some how," Emma said, forcing herself to not sound as hopeless as she would like to feel. "Maybe he's the one who's unconsciously blocking all of our attempts. Maybe if we could wake him up somehow, it will all be better. He will heal."

"But, how are we supposed to do that?" Willy asked. "We've done all we could to wake him up. It's like he's in a coma or something."

"They say that even comatose patients can hear what others are saying to them," Joe said, pushing a lose strand of his hair back, "Why don't you guys try that while I program something to help prolong his life and maybe even heal him."

Emma nodded and Willy did too, albeit reluctantly. He really didn't like all that touchy-feely stuff and he usually just leave that to his sister but, if it would mean saving the life of a friend—no matter how probable and no matter how strange it was—then he was willing to try it.

It was funny how quickly he had come to trust Daniel X. Granted, he had tried to shoot his head off. But, one cannot hold it against him. After all, he had declared that he was Daniel X, their friend, and Willy knows that Daniel was dead. It was really the only logical thing to do in a place where Void could easily make a person up. Although, Daniel hadn't really given them much proof other than the childhood nickname he had—one that no one, not even their enemies would know about. Still, this Daniel X had proven that despite not having his powers he was still willing to go the extra distance to ensure that his friends were safe. He could trust a guy like that. Of course, it was another matter entirely if he had done something funny to his sister. If that was the case, even an Opus would not be enough.

Willy shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts and he caught what Emma was saying to Daniel.

"You have to fight, Daniel," she had said, "I don't know what's wrong with you but you have to work with us here. You have to wake up!"

He could hear the strain in his sister's voice. She was fighting, trying to keep herself from crying. He shook his head. He was seriously going to punch Daniel if Emma did end up crying because of him.

"You better not die on us," he muttered.

* * *

Love. Daniel X had told her at one point in that world that he _love _her. Or maybe she should say that he had told that other Dana that. But, those words seem to resonate to her and made the fluttering in her stomach seem more than just butterflies. She shook her head. It was impossible for him to love her. How can he? They had never met, they weren't even acquaintances. They were enemies. But she couldn't understand why she kept forcing herself, albeit unconsciously, to try to remember if they had met before.

It was putting a strain on her, but she couldn't stop. She had to keep doing what she was doing. She didn't exactly know what happened next but soon she found her concentration waver and a memory suddenly gripped her mind.

In the memory, she saw a little girl standing in what looked to be a spaceport. Her arms snaked around a stuff toy, her shoulders were shaking and at once Dana knew that the little girl was crying.

The girl was facing a boy, he looked like he was just the same age as the little girl. He looked distressed, like he didn't know what to do. Behind the boy were two older people. Dana immediately recognized them as the Alien Hunters that Daniel X had called his mother and father.

Dana's eyes trailed back to the boy and she recognized him. _So that boy must be Daniel...a much younger Daniel. But why am I seeing this?_

"Please don't cry," the younger Daniel said, his voice barely audible and so innocent-sounding as a little's child voice would be. It was amazing for Dana to hear such a young kid speaking in a way that you would not expect a child to speak. Of course, she had to remind herself that Alparians are like that what with how their minds are developed so very early on. "I don't like to see you cry, Dana."

"B-but," the little girl stuttered, "you're going away. Far away. We won't get to see each other any more. Even though Willy and Emma and Joe-Joe aren't saying it, they're sad, too. We don't want you to leave, Daniel."

"I know that and it's not like I don't see how hard it is for everyone but...I don't have a choice. Mom and dad are going to Terra Firma, to protect that place and I have to go with them," Daniel said, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "I wish I could stay here. I don't want to leave either."

The little girl—Dana—began to sob even more. Daniel looked back at his parents who nodded at him before boarding the last vessel that was set to leave soon. They were giving him some privacy and Dana could see in the little boy's eyes that he appreciated it.

Daniel then took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Dana who no longer tried to stop the torrent of tears from flowing, dampening the shirt that Daniel X was wearing. "It's going to be okay, Dana. Even though we're going to be apart. We'll all still be friends. We're all part of a _drang_ after all."

"What if you forget about us? What if you meet other people and they become your new _drang_?"

Daniel shook his head furiously, "I won't ever forget. No matter what. And...you won't forget about me too, right?"

The younger Dana looked at Daniel with a look of determination as she said, "I won't. I will always remember."

The memory ended as soon as it began and it shook Dana up. For a moment she seemed lost but there was no mistaking it, that was from her own memory—not something that was implanted on her. She would have known if that was the case.

_But then...that would mean that..._ But Dana furiously shook her head, she cannot think that way. She cannot bear to go to that direction. But even as she refused to admit it, her memories were slowly returning, like a veil was being lifted and she was unable to stop it.

* * *

Joe watched with her with suspicion as an idea began to formulate in his head. A theory, if you will, of what was going on. He could see that Dana was conflicted. As if she was battling some inner turmoil even as her gaze was fixed on Daniel who still remained unresponsive even as Emma and Willy continued to give him encouragement with their words.

He had gathered a lot of information regarding Void but there was always a missing piece to the puzzle, that was the reason why he kept his findings to himself. But staring at the blond-haired Alparian who had once been part of their _drang_, something was finally coming together.

_But, if that's the case then...No, that can't be right. No Alparian has had that kind of ability in..well, forever...it's just as rare as Daniel's parents' powers...And, if she really _does_ have that kind of power then she's a dangerous enemy..._

Joe knew what he had to do then. He had to find out. Handing the hand-held console that would track Daniel's vitals to Willy, he cautiously made his way to Dana. He didn't actually know how to start talking with her. Years of not being able to see and talk to each other, add to the fact that she was now aiding their enemy, could do that after all.

He didn't know how exactly but before he knew it, Joe had said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Do you really not remember us, Dana?" He asked softly so as to not startle her.

Dana's eyes flickered to his direction for a moment before turning her attention back to Daniel and answering coldly, "Should I?"

"Maybe the question should be: why shouldn't you? All of us grew up together. We were part of a _drang_—that's not something you could have easily forgotten. Even when Daniel left, all four of us: you, me, Willy, and Emma, we went through so much together. The bond we shared, and the bond you shared with Daniel, those things couldn't have been easily forgotten. I'm guessing you're just suppressing them for some reason or another. That you haven't really forgotten about us but you just don't want to remember."

Dana didn't say anything but Joe could see a small crease in her forehead. He decided to plunge in deeper with his theory.

"It's Void, isn't it? He's making you do these things." Dana still didn't answer, but Joe was expecting that. Maybe Dana doesn't even know that she was being manipulated. He could see that as a probability as well, and a big one at that. "He's making you hurt him. What did he ask you to do with your powers?"

Still no answer.

"That's okay, you don't have to tell me. I can guess." He let that sink in. "I don't really know what your powers are but I have a theory, a guess. It was strange, you know. When everyone of us ran into Daniel. It wasn't a secret that his parents were powerful Alparians and it wasn't going to take an educated guess to know that Daniel should be just as strong—if not stranger—than his parents. But, so far, all he could do was use the super strength and speed that all of us Alparians have. He said that Void took his powers away and, according to his explanation, he could only gain them by getting stronger in this game."

He paused wondering if Dana was confused as to where he was going with it.

"It didn't make sense to me. No program can do that and Void's ability does not reach into that realm. He can't take away someone's powers without taking away his own and, I don't think he would risk doing that considering this whole game will come crashing down on his if he does. So then, it bothered me, how can Daniel's powers be gone? How can he not use it? Of course, back then I didn't know that you weren't outside the game. I thought you were just lost or something. But then in comes Daniel X telling us that he _saw_ you with Void and that you were the one who strapped him down and plugged him into Void's Game." Joe smiled a sad smile, "I can imagine what a shock it must've been for Daniel."

After taking another deep breath, Joe went on speaking. "Would the connection be lost if you don't focus too hard on him?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." The answer was cold and crisp.

"Your power. Do you have to concentrate hard for you to use it, do you have to have eye-contact with the person?" Joe asked. When Dana chose not to answer, he went on, "I have two theories on what your power is. One is that you create a sort of illusion in a person's mind, through dreams or some thing like that. But, that wouldn't explain why and how Daniel could lose his powers just like that. The other however, it explains _a lot_. It explains how Void could create a whole new world and manage it. It explains how Daniel can't tap into his powers. And, it explains why I could detect you in the game even when you were outside. You can block or amplify another alien's power!"

There was a fraction of an instant when Joe saw Dana's eyes widen and he knew he had hit his mark. With that knowledge, his mind immediately went to thinking up a way to break the connection. Just as he was about to turn away and get to work, Dana spoke.

"It won't do any good," she said, turning away from Daniel to face him. "He's already in too deep. Even if I don't use my powers on him any longer, he won't wake up. There's nothing you or anyone can do to change that."

Joe frowned. She sounded tired, like she was resigned to whatever fate awaited her now. But her words did nothing to dampen Joe's spirits, and he let her know that. "We won't know that until we try, right? Besides, I have faith that Daniel will see beyond the illusion Void had him in."

"What makes you have faith?" She asked. "You two have never met until this game and even if you say that you knew each other from way back, that doesn't change the fact that some things change."

Joe cocked his head to the side, thinking of a good way to explain it. "We're all part of a _drang,_ Dana. Even you. Try as hard as you may deny it for whatever reason, you are part of us. It's true that I don't know much about Daniel now but no matter what happened in his past and in our past, the bond that we both shared still remains. Try as you may deny it or no matter how much you do forget, you can still feel it, right? The bond you shared with him." He then paused as another thought entered his mind. "You can help us. Help wake him up."

"And why would I do that?" There was anger in her voice, Joe can tell. Anger and...fear.

"Because he's your friend," Joe said, "Think about it."

And that was all he wanted to say, before turning around and letting Emma and Willy know what he had learned. Now that he knows what Dana's powers are, he could find a way around it. And time was ticking fast.

* * *

"What will you do now, Dana?" Void muttered the question to himself, his eyes gleaming in the dark. It was one of the moments he was waiting for. One of the moments that would determine what his next course of action would be.

He didn't expect it to be the geeky Alparian who would piece the two and two together, though. It was really a surprising turn of events. After all, he had betted on the earth-user Alparian to be able to put the puzzle pieces together.

_It only goes to show that one should never underestimate ones opponents._ His eyes became distant at the memory of those words that were once spoken to him. He shook his head and the memory away. _There would be another time for reminiscing once this is all over. Now, let's see...what will your choice be, Dana?_

* * *

Dana balled her fists and closed her eyes. What was she doing? She really did not know. Just as much as how she didn't know what to think of what that boy—Joe—had told her. How much of it was true? And why would she force herself to forget or block her memories or whatever it was he was accusing her.

For a moment she wondered if Void had a hand with it. She couldn't bear to really play with that thought. Void was like family. He was the one who took her in and helped her. He was the one who _saved_ her. If it weren't for Void she would have lost her mind when her powers came into being.

_But, is that really what happened?_ She began to question everything.

She looked over at the people that were surrounding Daniel. They were so adamant on saving his life that they were leaving her alone. She could feel the restraints the girl—Emma—had placed on her wavering. If she wanted to, she can easily make a break for it. Her powers would allow her to escape The Slums—Void had taught her just how to do it.

It didn't take long for Dana to make a decision. As she slowly crept away from the group, a part of her ached at the thought of leaving, making her that much confused. That confusion fortified her resolve to leave, however.

_I have to leave. I have to figure this all out. Void can't touch me here, I'll be safe._

And with that thought in mind, Dana fled. She didn't look back to see if anyone noticed her as she opened up her own path back into the heart of the game. Her sights were set. She was going on a little soul searching. And she was going to find the truth behind everything: who she really was.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

So, there you have it. One of the possibly longest chapters in this fanfic. With this chapter, there are quite a few revelations and a lot more mystery. And this chapter, as I have said in my blog, marks the half-way point to the story. The fanfic is, actually, already completely written (something which you guys might have known if you read my blog) but I am just uploading the chapters one by one. And, since I've already finished writing this story, I am thinking of writing a sequel...*_shrugs_* Meh, I'll get to a decision later.

Anyways, what do you guys think? Is this chapter to your liking? Let me know by giving me a review, 'kay?

With that said, the next chapter would...probably...be published tomorrow or on Saturday. Keep your eyes peeled. For more information and updates, check my blog. :)

Until then, Ciao!


	24. Chapter 21

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry for the delay. I got so caught up with my reading and playing video games and the over-all craziness of the situation that I have found myself in... Anyways, here's a new chapter. I've explained enough on my blog as to why there was a delay (and in full-length, too). So, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

* * *

I didn't know how long I was out or how exactly I found myself staring at the darkened sky of The Slums. I vaguely remember something about a dream. A beautiful dream that left a pang in my heart. I don't exactly remember what it was about but I knew it was about my family.

Even though I was already awake, I shut my eyes once again and I kept it shut ever since. The pain in my stomach, from the wound I got from my fight against The Prayer numbed me. I didn't want to move more than necessary.

I suppose I was good at playing asleep since neither Willy, Emma, or Joe bothered to talk to me. They were, however, talking amongst themselves. What they were talking about was beyond me. I could only hear snippets of their conversation and, with how muddled my brain was from the pain, I couldn't really concentrate, neither did I bother to. If it was important, they would tell me.

Several more times did I fall asleep after that. Each time I woke up, the pain felt more distant until finally it was no more than a sting of an ant. Whatever my friends were doing to heal me, it was working. Still, each time I awoke, I didn't give any indication of doing so. I didn't know why but I felt afraid of what news they would bring me once I woke up. How I knew there was something to talk about was beyond me. Call it a hunch, a gut feeling, or whatever.

At one point, I thought I heard them talking about Dana, though why they were talking about her now—well, I don't have a clue. I just hoped that whatever it was that has something to do with Dana, wasn't all that bad.

It might have been a long, long time after that when I finally didn't feel so much as a prickle of pain in my abdomen. And, it was only then that I opened my eyes, once more gazing at the black sky of The Slums. And then I groaned as I struggled to get up. My whole body ached for not having been used in a very long time. I felt like I was an old man.

"You're finally awake," Emma was the first who greet me. She sounded tired, like she hadn't slept for days but the smile on her face was bright. "We were so worried."

Willy huffed and I saw him crossing his arms and giving me a frown, "You made us all very worried. I thought you wouldn't make it. It's a good thing Joe managed to figure it all out."

"Figure it all out?" I asked, not sure what they were talking about.

Emma shook her head, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

I frowned but I didn't pursue the topic further as I slowly slipped out of bed. My joints creaked and I had to test my arms and legs out, shaking the sleep from my eyes, before I could answer, "Good. Better than I thought I would actually. I thought I wasn't going to make it after The Prayer stabbed me." I paused before I asked, "How...how did we get here? The last thing I remember is blacking out after The Prayer disappeared."

I saw Emma glance at Willy before she answered my question, "When we were separated, Willy and I ended up in an underground reservoir. We thought that you might be around there somewhere with us. But then there was a sort of explosion from another level and that's when we figured out you might be facing against something. The problem was, there was no way out of the reservoir."

Willy nodded, "We looked around for a while before Emma let me make use of some of my heavy artillery. Unfortunately, none of them even made a dent on the walls." he shook his head, "I guess Void was playing his tricks on us again since the next thing we knew, there was a door. When we followed the corridor behind it, it led us directly to the large room where we found you and—"

"—and they brought you here," Joe suddenly spoke, having suddenly arrived at The Slums and finishing Willy's sentence for him.

"You're back," Emma said, jumping up and rushing towards Joe—which, by the way, I found really strange. "Did you find her?"

Joe shook his head, "She didn't leave any tracks."

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked, not liking being in the dark.

Joe took a deep breath before he began to speak, "You weren't the only one Willy and Emma found in the room Daniel. Dana was there, too."

I wasn't able to process all at once what Joe-Joe had said. But when I finally did, my eyes went wide and I could only stutter my question, "D-Dana? Wh-wha-what are you guys talking about? Where is she then? Is she here?"

Joe shook his head, "She was here but...she's gone now, Daniel, and we don't know where she is. That's what we were trying to figure out. We need to find her since she's the only one who can get us out of this place."

I frowned, "She...can get us out of here? You mean without us beating this damn game? How?"

"It's her powers," was his simple answer.

"Her powers?"

"She's another rare power user. She can amplify another person's power—which she does with Void—or she can reduce it to nil, like what she did with you." Joe explained with a thoughtful expression, then added, "I don't think that it is a coincidence, you know. Our powers, I mean...not that I know what exactly your power is yet, Daniel, but I have a feeling that it is as rare as what all four of us have."

"You don't suppose that our parents made it possible for us to be all part of one _drang, _do you?" Emma asked, guessing where Joe was going with his thoughts.

"That's a possibility but one has to wonder why. We don't usually send a team out when it comes to alien hunting so there's no point of arranging it so that we would all meet and become friends," Willy said, answering his sister's question. "Not that I have any regrets about meeting the others."

"We're over-thinking things, let's worry about one thing at a time. Right now, we have to find Dana before Void does something to her for running away from her mission." Joe said, making us turn towards him.

"Her mission?" I asked. _Just how much does Joe know about everything that's going on?_ "What are you talking about?"

Joe turned towards me, gazing at me with the seriousness that I didn't believe—before meeting this Joe-Joe, that is—he was capable of. "You. Void sent her so that she could break you. Using Void's powers and amplifying it, she created a world inside your head and kept you from wanting to get back here thus keeping us from healing you and you healing yourself. At least, that's what I could surmise. She didn't actually shoot that theory down when I talked to her, not that she said much."

I couldn't really remember what happened with me while I was sleeping but their words rung true. Besides, I couldn't really see any reason why they would lie to me. Still, the knowledge that Dana had tried to kill me, no matter how indirectly the means, hurt. It hurt more than the wound I received from any of the battles I have been through.

"Anyways, she escaped from us even before we can get her to tell us more," Willy shrugged, "Not that any of us were keeping an eye on her, which, let's face it, was a big mistake. If you'd told us how dangerous she can be, Joe, I would have made sure she wouldn't have been able to escape."

"Ah, well, yes...I made a mistake with that." Joe smiled apologetically making Willy growl in frustration.

"So...what now?" I asked. I didn't feel much like being the leader I was used to being.

"Now we keep on searching for her," Joe said, "We have to find her before Void does. It's the only way. The only way to get out of here and get your powers back."

* * *

Trying to find Dana in a game that has endless possibilities was ten times harder than finding a needle in a haystack. You would have thought that Joe would have some sort of tracking program in his Symbiote computer, but no. We had to do it the old-fashioned way: searching one area after the next, jumping from one level to the next, without rest.

All the while we didn't encounter any enemy and instead of making us feel safe, it made us all the warier. It only proved that Void was giving all his attention in finding Dana, too. I didn't know what Void has in-store for her, but I could only imagine that it would not be good. Alien Outlaws always hate traitors and the punishment they dole out are usually severe. Dana may have tried to kill me but there was no way I would let Void hurt her. Because, in the end, she didn't kill me. It doesn't matter if Joe said that Dana was only there to ensure that the dream world got deep enough that I wouldn't have been able to escape but, since I managed to escape with their help, I don't really believe that Dana didn't stop herself from ultimately killing me. I'd like to think that she stopped herself. That she saved me just as much as how Willy, Emma, and Joe saved me...

...And that she had remembered who we are and the bond that we shared.

Days passed by—well, they felt like days, I wasn't really sure being trapped inside the game and all that—and there was still no sign of Dana. No clue, no indication of where she could have gone and we were all feeling tired and Willy was feeling agitated, ready to shoot at anything who makes him even more frustrated—as proven when he stubbed his toe on a rock and he ended up disintegrating said rock with one of his weapons.

"This is hopeless," Willy growled when we all decided to take a short break when we got to a Safe Zone.

"This is getting frustrating and it's taking too much of our time and resources," Emma agreed. "There has to be a way to find her."

"You know, I'm starting to think that we're doing this all wrong," I said, and I really did mean that. "What if she didn't just go to a random level? What if she went somewhere more...specific?"

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"She can move anywhere like, just like what you can do Joe when you move from one level to The Slums, maybe she already had a destination in mind when she left...some place where only she can go to?" I gave it a try. It felt like the right thing to say.

"If that's the case then even if Void knows where she is, he won't be able to get to her, not without risking the entire foundation of the game," Joe nodded, "But that would also mean that we can't get to her either."

I nodded, "Only she can find us."

"And only she can get back to Void, if she so chooses," Emma added.

I closed my eyes as I wonder what Dana was thinking. Why did she run away? I doubt Willy, Emma, or Joe threatened her. Sure, they may have been wary but none of my friends would have done anything to hurt or frighten her.

_Then why did you leave, Dana? Why didn't you stay? Why didn't you ask for help from Emma, Willy, or Joe?_

I knew the answer to those things were out of my reach then. If I want those questions answered, I would have to find Dana...or wait for her to find me.

"So, do we abandon our search and get back to trying to complete this whole game by ourselves?" Willy asked and I could see that he was aching to do something, _anything_.

I nodded, and so did Emma and Joe. There really was no other choice. We couldn't dilly-dally, we have to move forward. And that was what we all decided to do.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

So, there you have it. I've already given my schedule of updates on my blog, along with other pertinent information. So, if you guys wanna know when the next update would be and stuff like that, check the blog! Also, thanks for reading, I hope you guys would give a review to this chapter. And, to those who had reviewed, thank you!

Until the next update-yeah, I know, I'm hurrying along in the Author's Notes section of the fanfic, I have a lot of things left to do...so...-Ciao!


	25. Chapter 22

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks for the reviews and thank you for sticking with this fanfic. Here's the twenty-second chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over **

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

* * *

We found ourselves in the middle of the ocean. Our landing in this new stage was as ungraceful as possible, all of us falling right into the water. It was a good thing that we all knew how to swim otherwise one of us would have, without a doubt, had drowned. We were bobbing up and down the ocean, like buoys when this huge ship came sailing in. None of us saw it before it appeared but it was a good thing that whoever was in the ship saw _us_.

The ship was large and it reminded me of the Black Pearl from that Johnny Depp movie. It was like a ghost ship. And I thought that it was, at first. After all, none of us saw it coming. We were all on-guard even as life preservers were thrown at us and we were fished out of the water and into the deck. Once we were finished coughing up all the ocean water that had almost drowned us, all four of us stood and faced the crew of the ship, and their captain.

I was expecting to see eye-patch-wearing, rum-smelling, one-hand-is-a-hook-one-foot-is-a-stub group of people. But the ones who encircled us were not like that. They were dressed in crisp, white sailor outfits and were clean-shaven. And, they were humanoid-looking aliens. And the way they spoke immediately told me that they weren't pirates at all. There were no "Argghs" or "Mateys", not even the usual greeting: "Ahoy, Landlubbers".

"Are you children, okay?" That was the greeting that the captain of the ship, a bearded, old man with sharp eyes, blue skin, gills, and a beak for a mouth.

"Y-yeah," I managed to answer for all of us as I took a glance at my _drang_. We really did look like we were okay. Well, compared to the alternative.

"You kids surprised us when you fall out of the sky like that," the captain went on, his voice was watery and nasally. "When players enter this level, they usually do so by coming out of that door over there." At that the captain pointed at a trap door not too far from where the door leading to the cabin was. "Strange..."

"Believe us, sir," Joe said as he shook his hair, splaying water all around him, "we would have loved to get into this stage through there instead of being dumped into the ocean."

The captain laugh and some of the crew members chuckled.

"So, tell us, who are you people," Willy asked as he began to check his weapons.

His action alarmed the crew members and the captain stared at him like he was a threat. I can't blame them, though. The way Willy spoke and the way he was checking on his weapons made him look like he was one, cocky terrorist ready to blow anyone's head off should they just even dare to look at him.

With caution in his voice and in the way he spoke, the captain answered, "We are, like you, players of The Game. Unfortunately, the rules Void has given us makes it impossible for us to leave this ship—which, also, happens to be our spaceship. I am Undinogh and we are a race of alien species known as Undines. Now, may I ask, who you kids are?"

"My name is Daniel," I took the initiative to introduce us. "These are my friends, Willy, Emma, and Joe."

A murmur rippled through the gathered crowd. I could hear some of them asking: "Did he say 'Daniel'?", then another one went, "Could it be?". I looked over at Emma, Willy, and Joe, confusion evident on the look in my face. They were just as confused though and when they met my gaze they shrugged, indicating they didn't know what was going on as well.

The captain, Undinogh, frowned. "Did you say you're name is Daniel?"

"That's right," I nodded, _Don't tell me they'll say that I can't be Daniel. That I'm supposed to be dead. I've had it with that._

The captain then looked at his shipmates, his crew, and nodded before turning his attention back at us. "We've heard a great deal about you, Alien Hunter. Though, we have never dreamed that we may one day meet with you. It is an honor to be in the presence of the one who destroyed Ergent Seth. We have waited a long time for justice to be served. You have our eternal gratitude, Daniel X."

"I'm sorry...I don't...I don't understand, why are you thanking me?" I asked, that was not something I thought he would say, "We should be the one thanking you for letting us board your ship."

"Ergent Seth destroyed our home planet. Many of our kinsmen died waging war against him in hopes of salvaging Unoqualia. But Ergent Seth was just too powerful for us. All we could do was flee. He was the reason why we are trapped her now. If he hadn't come to Unoqualia then we would all still be living peacefully with our families." One of the shipmates said, he was a little bit shorty than the rest.

A murmur of agreement erupted after that.

"You have given Seth what we could not give him—punishment and death. For that we are eternally grateful and are in your debt." Undinogh bowed his head, the other Undines followed shortly after that.

I was surprised. No one, well, apart from the Alparians, had thanked me for what I had done. Protecting earth and the outer realms was my job—something that I inherited from my parents when they were killed. I had thought that I didn't mind whether I was appreciated by the humans that I defended or not. What had mattered to me was that they were kept safe and I was able to defeat the aliens on The List, working my way up to The Prayer. I suppose that was why I felt a bubble of joy within me when the Undines thanked me. It made me feel that I had, indeed, done a big difference. That with every battle I survived, with every alien outlaw I had crossed-out of the list, the sacrifices I have done were worth it.

"You and your friends are our guest of honor," Undinogh said, "Let us know how we could be of service."

"Well, thanks, I guess," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "We just want to beat this game, you know. And find a friend of ours."

"A friend of yours?" he asked.

Emma nodded, "She's an Alparian just like us. Blond, with sapphire-colored eyes. Did she, by any chance, came through here?"

"I'm sorry to say that we have not met any Alparians apart from your group, however, if you would like, I will send some of my men to look in the island." Undinogh replied.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Emma said, thanking the captain as he ordered one of the Undines to do just that. The Undine nodded, not asking any question before he jumped into the ocean and swam like a dolphin. I didn't know how far the island was or where it was, all I could say was that it must be pretty far since my _drang_ and I weren't able to see it from the ship.

"Now that that is settled, perhaps I can help you with something else," Undinogh said as he walked towards another door, motioning us to follow him.

We did.

The door led to the captain's cabin where stacks of maps, sea charts, books, and a large compass sat on top of a wooden table; bookshelves lined up the wall. Another door was at the other end of the room, which I guess would lead to the captain's sleeping quarters.

"I do not mean to pry, Daniel X, but tell me, how does one Alien Hunter such as you found himself inside Void's game?" Undinogh asked once we were all settled in.

"I was ambushed back in Terra Firma while I was out looking for Number Two," I replied. "The List didn't say anything about a sidekick so I thought I was fighting against a lone alien outlaw. I should have been more careful."

"I am glad that you understand that now," the captain said, "There aren't that many Alien Hunters left in the Outer Worlds. I had the privilege of meeting a couple of them in my lifetime, you being the eighth. They were all Alparians such as yourselves. Powerful and quite capable. I assume that you and your friends are aiming to be that sort of Alien Hunters in the future."

"Provided that we get out of this mess," Willy voiced out.

"Who were these Alien Hunters you speak of, Undinogh?" Joe asked.

"I have long forgotten their names. Us Undines don't have the same kind of memory as Alparians, after all. However, I believe Daniel would know about two of the three I could remember, having just met them a couple of years ago." Undinogh paused. It seemed like he enjoyed putting us at the edge of our seats. "Altrelda and Graff, Daniel's parents as well as another Alien Hunter, Khadagh."

"You've met my mother and father?" I was astounded.

Undinogh nodded, a wistful look on his face, "They were the ones who helped us when our ship crashed on Terra Firma. Who would have thought that I would have the honor of meeting their son? I certainly didn't think so."

The usual pang of sadness and loss entered my heart—something that usually happens when I am told about my parents—which, in itself is a rare occurrence. But, like always, I shook the sadness away. It was not the time to be all emotional and mope around.

Undinogh seemed to have sensed that it was also not the time to reminisce about the past because he, too, shook his head, "Anyways, this level is a lot different than the other levels—or so we've been told by the other players who have come across this stage of the game. We don't usually help other players but since you are Alparians, and since it is you, Daniel X, then we would like to make an exception."

"But won't you get in trouble with Void?" Emma asked, worrying for our new-found (probable) allies.

"Do not worry about that, young Alparian," Undinogh waved his hand as if to dismiss such a thought, "We have long been trying to find a way to show Void that we are rebelling against him but...up until now, we couldn't find a lasting way to do so. But with your group, should you get out of this game, I firmly believe that you will deliver the justice that all of us deserve and that with your help we will all be free from this madness. It is a risk that we Undines are willing to take."

"Okay, then what are we supposed to do in this stage?" I asked, not willing to let the opportunity go.

"You must maneuver this ship to the center of the ocean." Undinogh said a-matter-of-factly.

"The center...of the ocean?" all of us asked in unison. I looked over at my companions, there was no way we all misheard the Undine.

Undinogh nodded, "The ocean we are in right now is like the desert. If you don't know what you're doing, you won't get anywhere at all. There is no way to tell where you are, no landmarks. Those who managed to get to the center of the ocean, well, most of them only managed to do so out of sheer luck. We didn't help them out so some of them chose to go the hard way, into the island. But that is not the way you would want to take."

"So, how are we supposed to find this 'center of the ocean'? Do you have a map?" Joe asked.

"No. No maps. That's one rule we can't break." was the answer, "What we do have, and what I can give you is a compass."

"A compass? How would that help in finding the center?" Willy asked.

"This is not just any ordinary compass, it's one of the most valuable technology that our people have." Undinogh said as he took a circular-shaped item from his pocket and placed it in the middle of the table. "That...is the compass. It will direct you to the center of any place—desert, planet, ocean, sea, city, galaxy or even the universe. I cannot tell you what makes it do that, that is a secret of our people. But, with this compass you will be able to finish this stage. I will give this compass to you, Daniel and hope that it would be useful."

"It will be. I'm sure one of us can get this ship moving," I nodded my thanks as I took hold of the compass. It was smooth and it felt warm to my skin. "But, how do we use this?"

As soon as that question was out of my mouth, Undinogh began to teach us how to use the said navigational device. He told us that all we had to do is hold it in front of us and it will guide us to the center, straight and true. Then he reminded us that the person who must hold the compass must not have anything else on his or her mind. That he or she must be focused solely on finding the center, otherwise, it will not work and the energy coming from the bearer of the compass—our navigator—would battle with the energy that the compass was releasing and the energy coming from the center.

As soon as he explained the compass to us, he left us telling us to rest and to talk to him once we were ready to depart. We said our thanks, telling him that we will as soon as we hear anything from the Undine that he sent to check up on the island. And with that, we were once again by ourselves.

"You're really like a celebrity now, Daniel," Joe laughed once we were all alone. "Who would have thought that even Undines would know about you and would be indebted to you, too."

"Yeah," whistled Willy, "it really makes me that much more curious as to how you managed to defeat Ergent Seth. I mean, come on, you haven't even told us what your power is."

I laughed, albeit nervously.

"Come on, Daniel. Spill it," Emma chimed in.

"You guys wouldn't believe me if I told you," I answered, not meaning to be all-mysterious. I wasn't lying either. "It's kind of something you have to see to believe."

"Try us," Joe said, "Although, I already have a bit of info regarding your powers. The power of the snooping around and hacking and all that, you know."

I nodded. But, even if I wanted to tell them, I was cautious. I didn't know who could be listening, plotting my downfall or whatever. So, I just answered them in a way that only those who really know my mom and dad—know them beyond their "work"—would know about. I know for a fact that my parents didn't showcase every bit of their powers to others. Only a handful of people, and aliens—most of them outlaws who no longer have the capability to tell others about it, what with them being dead and all—knew the full extent of my parents' abilities.

"Well, I inherited most of my parents' powers," I told them, giving them a knowing smile and a look that told them not to blurt anything out. We didn't know who was listening in. "Most of them are still developing but, yeah...my dad's is more dominant than my mom's."

Willy whistled, "Dang!"

"That makes sense," Joe nodded, as if he had guessed that much which, I was starting to think he did manage to do. Guess right, I mean.

"Still, that's pretty rare. Rarer than our powers." Emma noted. "Not everyone gets to have powers from both sides of their family. I guess that's what you get when your parents are both powerful Alparians."

"I guess," I shrugged. I didn't really know how powerful my parents were. Even though they took me with them to Terra Firma—to Earth—they didn't really bring me along. There was no take-your-kids-to-work day for us. So, all the stories about how strong my parents were, how great Alien Hunters they were, how cool they were—all of those things I knew about them outside of the house were second-hand knowledge.

"So, what now?" I asked, wanting to change the subject. I was still, after all, pissed at not being able to use my powers. "Do you guys think we can trust Undinogh?"

Willy shrugged as a thoughtful expression crossed Emma's face as she asked, "Why? Don't you think we should?"

"It's not really a matter of trusting him or not, it's obvious that he is using us...or, at least, Daniel, in order to have revenge against Void and Number 2." Joe said, combing his hair with his hand. "We don't have a choice either but to believe what he says about the center of the ocean and the compass. At the same time, we have to be careful with the Undines."

Willy nodded, "Undinogh may not have said it, but it's obvious that he made a contract with you—one that you accepted when you took the compass."

"A contract?" As soon as I asked that question, I remembered a fraction of what I had read about the Undines and I cursed. "I should have remembered sooner!"

Emma, surprising me, asked, "What is it? What contract are you guys talking about?"

"An agreement with the Undines," Joe supplied the answer, "Don't tell me you forgot that part about the Undines, too. The Undines like to make agreements—pacts, contracts, you know, stuff like that. They don't give you something or help you out without getting something out of it, too. Even though Undinogh practically worships the ground that Daniel walks on, he's still an Undine and he still made a contract with Daniel. Unless Daniel wants to have to answer to the wrath of the Undines, he would have to go through with the pact he made."

"Which is?" Emma asked.

"Dealing with Void. Which is another way of saying killing Void," I answered with a sigh, not that I don't intend to do that. I did want Void to pay for what he did. Still, it was such a bother landing in the middle of a contract with the Undine.

"Shouldn't the contract be nulled if Daniel didn't remember about it beforehand?" Willy asked, it was a valid question.

"No," I sighed, "That's the way Undines work."

* * *

Night came and still the Undine that Undinogh sent to look for Dana in the island hadn't returned. And, because we have told the captain that we would take the helm and journey to the center of the ocean as soon as his men had returned, tha meant we had to wait for who-knows-how-much-longer.

It was a quiet night, the crew members and the captain himself had already retreated to their quarters. My friends were also resting in the bunker that Undinogh had provided for us after we declined his offer to stay in his own cabin. I was already in a contract just by taking the compass, I didn't want to bury myself in any more unnecessary contracts by accepting anything else from the captain.

As I stood in the crow's nest, I was began to remember the fragments of the dream—the world that, according to Joe, Dana had forced my consciousness into. And, as I remembered, I understood why they had a hard time pulling me back. It was my ideal world. A space and time that I wished for constantly but I know would be one wish that was never going to come true. I really had to come to terms with the fact that my parents were never going to come back, that the only way I could be with them was if I recreate them from my memory or if I die and go to that place where souls were supposed to go to—which, as much as I want to see my family again, I don't want to die yet to do so. I am, after all, still young.

Heat crept up my skin as I remembered the kisses that I shared with Dana in that place. Kisses that felt so real.

_I wonder how _my_ Dana would react when I manage to call on her again and she sees that part of my memory?_ I thought to myself, remembering how many times the Dana that I recreate from my imagination could read my mind. _That's going to be awkward._

I suppose I was tired, since I don't know what happened next. One minute I was imagining how that conversation was going to turn out, the next, I was no longer on the ship. I was somewhere else.

It was the same beach that I had found myself in my past dreams. The place where I got to talk with the "other" me. But, this time, that wasn't the person who was waiting for me.

"D-Dana?" I gasped, taking a step back. I didn't know which Dana this was, if this was the Dana that I had been with for the past years—aka, the Dana of my memory and imagination—or the Dana that had tried to kill me because Void ordered her to—aka, the _real_ Dana.

She turned around, and sure enough it was Dana. The _real_ Dana—which, I could tell, since she wasn't smiling at me like we haven't seen each other in ages. Instead, she looked at me like I was a piece of a puzzle that she didn't quite honestly knew how to use or where to fit it in.

"Why am I here?" She asked, looking at me suspiciously like I had anything to do with it. "Where is 'here', anyway?"

"I should be the one asking you that," I answered. "They told me everything when I woke up. They told me you...tried to kill me. Why?"

The look she gave me was one that told me it was a stupid question to ask, one that I should have already known the answer to. "Because Void ordered me to. Because of who you are. A threat to me and to Master Void."

"M-Master?" I stuttered. _Did she really just call him that?_ "Why the hell are you calling him that? Void's...he's not..." I shook my head, "Wait, what do you mean I'm a threat to you? I've never been a threat to you Dana, and I never will be. Regardless of what you tried to do to me, I have no intention of harming you...I can't say the same thing about Void, though. Him I want to rip apart for what he's done."

She frowned, but stayed where she was standing. Which both bothered me and made me feel at ease at the same time.

_At least she isn't trying to kill me right now..._

A moment of silence passed between us before she finally spoke, "Why is it that you look at me and talk to me like you know me?"

"Because I do," came my answer, "At least, I think I do. It's been a long time since we last saw each other, Dana. But, there's not a moment that I wished—"

"Stop it," she said, shaking her head. "How can that be possible? I keep asking myself that question. How can you know me? We've never met! We—"

"We have met, Dana!" I countered. _What had Void done to you?_ "Don't you remember? We were together when we were kids! You, me, Emma, Willy, and Joe. Don't tell me you've forgotten all of that!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he shouted back. "I came here looking, hoping for answers but you're just confusing me even more!"

"I am not trying to confuse you. I'm trying to give you what you want—answers! And," I paused, taking a breath. "I want you to come back to us. It doesn't matter what you've done, Dana. You're still part of our _drang_."

There was a look in Dana's face that I couldn't place. But before I could argue my point, before I can prove to her that I am not out to mess with her mind and that she really was the one doing that to me, before I could speak to her some more, make her remember and figure out what happened to her and where she is, Dana vanished. There were no special effects, no puff of smoke, no powerful gust of wind, or whatever. She just...disappeared. And I found myself back at the crow's nest, like nothing happened.

But something had definitely happened. It was either I unwittingly called Dana to that place—wherever that place was—or she had called _me_.

I didn't have the answers but, instead of making me feel at a lost or make me feel hopeless, I felt fired-up. I was going to get Dana back. I'm going to make her remember who I am, no matter what and I am going to make Void pay for what he had done to her to make her forget about me.

_Wait for me, Dana. I'm going to get you back to normal. I promise._

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that wraps it up for this chapter. For anyone wondering about updates, don't worry, as I have said before I already have a schedule for it. I even added a little calendar on my blog to keep us all updated on the schedule. Also, the other fanfic(s) I would be working on would not hamper the updates so you guys don't have to worry about that. After all, I _am_ writing this fanfic (or I wrote this fanfic) while I am still working on my book (which, would be published next year) and this fanfic is almost done, too.

Anyways, don't forget to review and I'll see you all on the next update! Until then, Ciao!


	26. Chapter 23

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Welcome to the twenty-third (but actually twenty-sixth) chapter of this here fanfic. I'm on-schedule as planned, which makes me happy. I do hope that this chapter makes you guys happy, too! So, enjoy! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

* * *

"I am sorry to report that there is no Alparian in the island," the scout that Undinogh had sent came back two days later, a lot longer than we expected. "There were other players there—most of them were the ones who didn't want to pilot the ship and who had been in this stage for quite a while now, but there was no girl there."

"Are you sure?" I couldn't help asking, though I didn't want to insinuate that perhaps this scout didn't look thoroughly enough.

"I am certain, there are no Alparians in this level other than the four of you," the scout replied before bowing and backing away, leaving us with Undinogh.

"I can't say how sorry I am for not being able to help you find your friend," Undinogh said as we watched the other Undine walk away, returning to his duties. "Perhaps you would like to stay a couple of days more, we could try searching the other islands."

Joe and I exchanged glances while Willy slowly shook his head. Emma remained passive.

"No, that's alright." I replied, although it wasn't "alright" at all. It was frustrating. I was hoping that perhaps my power—or what was left of it at the moment—resonated with Dana's powers—if such a thing was possible. Of course, I didn't exactly knew if it was. No one was around to teach me these things. "We'll start the journey to the center. We can't waste any more time and I'm sure we would meet her somewhere..."

"Well, if you are certain then let us prepare to set sail," Undinogh nodded and I wondered if he really was as sympathetic with my plight as he was letting. It was hard to read an Undine's action especially when you're already bound to one of their contracts.

All four of us—me and my _drang_—nodded. And when Undinogh saw that we weren't going to change our minds, he called for his men to get to work, ordering them all sorts of things so that we could get a move on. Half an hour later, Undinogh gave me the wheel as I handed Emma the compass. I figured that she was better suited for that kind of thing, after Joe turned the offer to be navigator down saying that it wasn't as "technologically advanced" as he would like, calling a compass an "ancient, navigating device".

Emma didn't complain when I asked her to be my navigator. She seemed happy to be able to do something productive again rather than waiting. I guess she also hated the fact that she didn't know about the Undine and their contracts—not that I put that against her. Like I've said, we may have a higher IQ than humans, but we are not omnipotent.

As I steered the ship, Undinogh watched and as he watched I became even more paranoid. It was like there was some sort of hidden test and the captain was grading me. I didn't like the feeling. Not one bit.

* * *

"How long do you think it would take us to get there?" Emma asked.

We were the only ones left in the navigation room. Willy and Joe had agreed to keep watch for any suspicious activities that would lead us to believe that Undinogh and the Undines were up to something...troublesome. So far, they hadn't seen anything, nor heard anything, suspicious and I wanted to keep it that way. Should a fight occur in the ship, Emma, Joe and I would have to rely on Willy to get us through.

I couldn't help but chuckling at Emma's question, though as she sat with the compass in front of her.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?" was my reply, "You're the one who's navigating us, Emma."

"Well, it's not like I have a map, and I can't even feel the earth what with all the water around us," Emma huffed. "I hope we get out of this stage soon."

"You're not the only one," I sighed.

Silence.

Then...

"I don't want to ask this, Daniel, since I know you're just going to go think about it and that would make me think about it more, which, in turn, would make this compass stop working but, I have to know before it really starts bothering me and taking all of my concentration in finding the center of the ocean away," Emma said so fast that it was a miracle I manage to catch every single word she said.

"What is it?" I asked, even though I already had a feeling about what she was going to ask. It was, apparently, what all of us have in mind for a while now.

"Do you think, if it all comes down to it, we're going to have to fight Dana?"

"I hope not," I answered. I have already told them about what had happened in the crow's nest, even they didn't have an explanation for that. "I know I won't be able to lift a finger against her."

"And neither could we," she muttered, "But, what if that's the only way to get out of this place? What if fighting Dana is the only way to free ourselves and get your powers back? What are you going to do, Daniel?"

I didn't have to think about what to answer to that, "I'd find another way and I'll keep looking for another way. I won't sacrifice Dana. I won't give up on her."

Emma sighed, but there was a small smile tugging on her face.

"You know, I kind of envy the faith you put into Dana," she said, "I do hope it works out for both of you."

"So, you guys no longer have doubts of who I really am? I mean, the nickname is a flimsy proof."

"No one can fake what you've done, Daniel," Emma said shaking her head, "You're much too loyal to your friends to be someone else and I don't think Void would have the stomach to program someone like you just to mess with us. Besides, the way you make us all feel, it reminds us of the time when we were all together back in Alpar Nok."

I smiled, not really sure what to say to that. I know what they meant by "that feeling", I felt it, too and I was still feeling it. But, there was something missing still. We weren't complete yet. And we won't be until Dana was back with us.

"Well, back to work then," Emma said after clearing her throat.

* * *

You would have thought that, since this was supposed to be an alien ship, it would have been capable of traveling faster than the ordinary ships. But, that was not the case. If not, it seemed even slower. Willy, Joe, and I took turns piloting the wheel of the ship while Emma remained our sole navigator. I have to hand it to her. She really does have an impenetrable concentration. At least, when she puts herself into it.

There was one thing I did notice about Emma, though, when I decided to hang out in the navigation room when it was Joe's turn to take the wheel. Emma was, surprisingly, a bit restless. Like she didn't know which way to look, how to sit down properly. The silence in the room was a bit awkward, which I honestly didn't think was possible. I mean, Joe was loud when he wants to be and when he's not acting like the computer and techno-geek that he is. But even he was quiet, not in the uncomfortable way that Emma was.

At first it was quite amusing to watch but, when we ended up in a wrong direction—not once, but thrice—it stopped being funny. At that point, I asked Emma if she wanted a break but she shook her head and remained adamant about being the navigator. After that, there weren't any more mishaps. Still, the blush that appeared when Joe asked if Emma was alright and if she wanted to rest (which, he said he wouldn't take against her) remained on Emma's skin for quite a while longer than I thought necessary.

_Heh, who would have thought? Emma like's Joe-Joe. _ The thought entered my mind as I watched them, my chin resting on my hand.

Apart from that, nothing interesting happened in the days that went by. It was painfully boring. Though I didn't want anything to happen, like a sea battle or a coup. What I wanted was to get out of that stage. And, we got that wish a week later when we finally found the center of the ocean.

There was nothing remarkable in the center. I was half-expecting to see some kind of portal, or even a whirlpool, or something ominous but there wasn't. The center of the ocean was nothing but water.

"So, where's the exit?" Willy asked.

To answer his question, Undinogh pointed overboard, in the water.

"Down there," he replied.

"You're telling us we have to _jump_?" Willy sounded panicked.

"That is precisely it. Once you hit a certain depth in the water, it will take you to the safe zone." Undinogh explained.

"Oh, heck no." Willy said backing away. "I already had a hard time cleaning all my weapons from our earlier plunge. There's no way I'm going to painstakingly take the Opus apart to clean it _again_."

"Well then, you won't have a choice but to stay with us." Undinogh said nonchalantly.

Willy growled and shot me a look as if that was my fault.

"So, we have to dive," I cleared my throat. I didn't like that look. "We're not going to drown, right?"

"Of course not!" Undinogh scoffed as if it was the most absurd thing he had ever heard. "Don't be silly, Daniel X. Now, unless you would like to stay here much longer, I suggest you jump and be on your way."

I nodded, looked at my companions. They looked expectantly at me as if telling me "You first". I sighed and shook my head before I let go of any inhibitions about ocean diving without any gears. At first, it was just like swimming but then there was a sudden gravitational pull that wrapped around me, dragging me further down. I struggled at first, which was the wrong thing to do since I was just using up my oxygen faster and there was no refill for that. Water bubbles escaped my lips and my nostrils as I fought the current dragging me down.

I was this close to fainting from lack of oxygen when I was unceremoniously dumped in the white room—the Safe Zone.

The relief I felt was short-lived as seconds later, Joe fell on top of me followed by Emma and then Willy.

"That...was interesting," Joe said.

"If you're into death-defying stunts like that." Willy said, "Which I am, but I don't plan to do that again any time soon."

"I agree," Emma nodded.

"Alright, guys," I struggled to say, "can you _please_ get off of me? You're all so very heavy and I want to breathe, thank you very much."

After a chorus of apologies and shuffling while trying to get up, I was finally freed from being the pin-cushion of the year. We were all wet from the swim, but I was the only one who felt sore but I wasn't as annoyed as Willy—who had begun to take his weapons apart, drying them—was.

"I guess we're going to be staying her for a while, then, " I whispered as I looked at my companions who had all begun to check up on the things they were carrying: Emma with her staff and Joe with his Symbiote. No one bothered to say anything, they were all so busy.

I sighed. "Stay for a while it is then..."

I looked around, when I took a step towards the portal, the AI spoke, "Congratulations on making it past the 18th stage. You have received the following experience points."

A sound, like a roulette spinning sounded around us, causing Willy, Joe, and Emma to stand up in the ready. It was then followed by the level-up sound.

"You have now reached level 15," the AI spoke again. "Level one, power to create, unlocked."

A ping-sound erupted after that. But I was too stunned to notice anything else. I got my powers back.

My friends rushed to my side, eager to see me test out my powers.

I grinned at them and rubbed my hand. I knew exactly what to create—what would make them surprised. And so I concentrated on that thought—the thought of my friends wondering what they're expression would be to see the version of themselves that I had conceived out of my memory and imagination; the version of themselves that I had hung out with for the past years after my parents' death.

What happened next was not something I would have expected. Everyone knows how adept I am at controlling my powers and it hasn't gone haywire ever since I learned to fully control them. Which was why, when I ended up creating cardboard c ut-outs of my friends instead of the "real" thing. I have no way of explaining it.

Of course, they didn't know I didn't plan doing that.

"I was hoping for something with a 'bang', but...a cut-out?" Willy said, eyeing the first product of my imagination after regaining my powers.

"No, that's not—" I tried to tell him, but Emma butted in.

"A make-over? You create a cut-out and you give us all a make-over?"

"I'm telling you, I—" Once again, an interruption. This time, coming from Joe.

"I agree with Willy, you aren't one for subtlety, Daniel. But I guess you're trying to conserve your energy,"

"Guys, I wasn't trying to make cut-outs!" I almost shouted, raking my hair with my hand. "I was trying to recreate you guys. This," I waved my hand at the cut-outs, "was not something I did on purpose."

"What are you talking about?" Willy asked, "Recreate us?"

I nodded, trying once again to concentrate and use my powers. This time, I tried summoning an animal I knew all too well. An animal I admire. An elephant. But, when it came out—when it materialized—it wasn't a real elephant, it was a huge statue.

I screamed in frustration as I tried kicking the bronze statue of the elephant.

"Daniel, what's going on?" Emma asked, her voice telling me to calm down even when the words were not out yet.

"Something's wrong with my powers," I told them, frustration evident not only in my face but also in my voice. "It won't listen to me. It's like it's twisting what I wanted to form into something else. This has never happened before."

"Do you think it has something to do with what the AI said?" Joe piped after a while.

"What the AI said?" I asked.

Joe nodded, "It said 'level one, power to create'. Maybe you're trying to create things that aren't within the level range."

"So, you're saying this game is still capping on his powers?" Willy mused.

"That does make sense," Emma nodded. "Try something simple."

I nodded and I tried to create a book. It worked.

"Huh...this sucks." was what came out of my mouth along with a sigh. "I can't create anything useful."

"It's a start, though," Joe said, then pointed out, "Besides, I think now you can create any inanimate object."

I nodded half-heartedly. Still, I suppose Joe was right. It was better than not being able to create anything at all.

After that, I answered Willy's previous question. Telling them how I could create them from memory and how their "other" selves had been keeping me company while I was in Terra Firma, before we were all reunited here in the game. They were surprised. Willy voiced out his apprehension while Joe and Emma told me that they would like to see those "other" selves once I got my full power back. I promised them that I'd introduce them.

"We really have to find Dana soon," Joe told me half-an-hour later as we were preparing to leave the Safe Zone.

I looked at him, surprised that he would be the one to open that up.

"I know,"

"But I don't think you fully understand why."

"Let me guess," I said, crossing my arms and leaning back on one of the walls, "you have a theory."

Joe nodded, "Dana. I told you she can amplify and reduce someone's powers. Which means that this game is also her creation and, like I've said, perhaps the reason why you couldn't access your powers before was because Dana was blocking them. I don't think that Void meant to give you your powers back once you reached 'Level 15' or whatever."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Don't you ever wonder why we—me, Emma, and Willy—can use our powers whenever we like? Don't you wonder why we don't have that whole 'Level up' business to deal with?" Joe asked.

I did wonder about that. They never seem to level up so I had assumed that perhaps they were in a higher level than me.

"We're not," Joe said, as if reading my mind. "We're not high-level players. This game doesn't have that leveling system. At least, it doesn't give us that. I think Void is only messing with you, making you think that you are getting stronger with each passing stage. I also think that the reason you're gaining strength is because of Dana."

"What? She's giving me some sort of help?" I asked, hope bubbling up inside me.

"Maybe unwittingly. Maybe she doesn't know that her hold on your power is weakening." Joe supplied. "Think about it, Daniel. What if while Dana was outside, Void was making her watch or she was watching out of curiosity. What if seeds of doubt had begun to plant itself on her even before she was sent here? If that's the case, we can say that the reason you're getting stronger even though Void wouldn't want that to happen is because of Dana. But, because Dana is so important to him and his plans, he can't do anything to hurt her—at least, not while he's still using her against us—against you. Or, until he has enough reason to dispose of her."

What Joe said made sense, in a roundabout way.

"So, if we find Dana we can get her to stop sucking out my powers," I shook my head, "She's not going to help. She thinks that I'm a threat to her."

"Then prove her wrong. It's that simple really. It's no secret, Daniel. You're the only one who can bring her back to normal. You may not notice it since you haven't been with us long but, you've already managed to bring one of us back to normal—or as close to normal." Joe then nodded his head towards Willy, "Emma told you, right? About the moments when there would be a memory lapse with him. It hasn't happened since you arrived. It's a good sign."

"You're giving me way too much credit, Joe." I sighed. I didn't really think it was my fault.

"No, I'm just saying it as I see it." Joe replied, "I told Dana this before, and I will tell you the same thing now: never underestimate the power of a person's bond with another."

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that, my friends, is the end of this chapter. Don't have much to say at this point, except for "Thanks" to everyone who continues to read this fanfic and to those people who review (or will review). It means a lot to me. I hope you guys never get tired of reviewing and that you would review this chapter, too.

Anyways, until the next update! Happy weekend, guys! Ciao!


	27. Chapter 24

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I know. This chapter was supposed to have been published yesterday, but...a certain change of plans with the family caused this chapter to be delayed. Anyways, I won't say anything more than that for now. Just enjoy this chapter! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over **

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

* * *

With some of my powers of creation back, it was much more easier getting past obstacles that would have otherwise caused us to take a roundabout way. Which is another way of saying that, through most of the stages where we needed some form of transportation or an easier way around, I ended up either creating said vehicles or bridges and stuff like that. Which is to say that I was helpful without having to deal with the usual beating up evil aliens deal—which, I admit, I was starting to miss.

I didn't have anything against with how my powers were being used and I suppose I'm just whining about it but, hey, I was used to being the attacker, not some back-up support. Still having a semblance of my powers were better than _not _having them so I couldn't complain all that much.

The stages we found ourselves had nothing worth mentioning in them other than those stages were the ones where I used my powers the way I mentioned them. Twice we ended up in a desert—which would have once again been harder to get past if we didn't have a desert buggy. Then after the back-to-back scorching heat of the desert levels, we stumbled into a swamp where I used my powers to create a bridge that got us from dry land to dry land. After that was the volcano stage where I learned I have also regained my power to move objects with my mind—which was helpful in operating the switch in the middle of the crater that opened a secret door to the next stage, which was a mine.

"Do you guys notice how random the stages are now becoming?" Emma pointed asked. The maze which was in the mine prove to be easy with her around as this was her element being trapped in a cave made up of earth and being able to navigate through it like she had passed through the mines all of her life.

"Wasn't it random ever since the beginning?" I asked.

"Yeah, but before there seems to be a pattern but now..." Emma said, her face scrunched up in worry, "now it just seems like Void is throwing stuff out at us."

"I don't think so," Joe said, his voice echoing, "it may seem random but I doubt Void is one to just do random stuff. Everything he had done from the moment we all got here to this point had all been planned. At least, that's what I think."

I didn't see it like that. I honestly thought that it was just random coincidences. But, after Joe voiced that out, it got me thinking. And it made me wonder what Void plans this time around. What's more, I also noticed that we hadn't met anything remotely like a "boss" to deal with ever since Dana appeared and ran away.

"What if it's a random-thing now?" Willy asked, then added, "What if we're experiencing all these random stages because Void is busy with something else—say, looking for Dana?"

"If that's the case then we're either way behind on the search or in the same footing as our adversary." said Joe. "I still stand by what I said before: No one would be able to find Dana unless she wants to be found. And, our chances of meeting with her is higher than Void's after all," Joe then looked at me, "we have you with us."

I shook my head. It all sounds so simple but, from what I had learned all my life, nothing is ever _that_ simple. I was sure we were going to meet up with a formidable obstacle before we see Dana again.

As the discussion continued on in that direction, my mind trailed off. After that initial encounter with Dana in that beach-place, I didn't see her again. I tried concentrating, putting my faith on the bond that came from us being all part of one _drang _as Joe suggested but it didn't work. Every night my dream remained Dana-free, I didn't even return to that place. I wasn't worried about Dana being captured by Void, I trusted Joe's intuition on the matter. Dana was just as powerful as Void is in this world and she was a valuable ally to him, he wouldn't do anything stupid unless forced to.

_But what if we are forcing him to do something extreme?_ I couldn't help but wonder. _Would he rather destroy Dana than have her join us?_

I really hope not.

* * *

You know how it is when you're not expecting something to happen, something _does_ happen? Well, that was the case when I found myself back in that place that I have tried getting back to. The beach wasn't deserted, but the person that stood there waiting for me was not Dana. It was my mother.

I ran towards her, the moment I realized who it was. A grin plastered on my face. And, when I reached her, it didn't matter if I was old or how strange it might look to an outsider. I hugged my mom. I hugged her so tightly that it was a wonder how she didn't complain about not being able to breathe.

"Mom," I said, breathing in her scent. A spring-like scent. A scent that I have loved so much and missed so much.

"It's good to see you again, Daniel," She said, hugging me back. Then she pulled away and cupped my face, "You had us worried. Are you alright?"

I wasn't alright but with her around it felt as though everything was going to be fine...even if she was only around in my dream or my deep sub-consciousness if that was what this world was.

"I am now," I told her. "Number Two's second-in-command got me. He's trapped me into this game world and zapped my powers. I'm only starting to get them back but it's not enough to materialize you guys out of my head."

"I know," my mom said, letting her hands drop to my shoulder, "Your father and I know. We also know that you have met up with your friends—that they're alive, contrary to what your grandmother had told you and what everyone in Alpar Nok believed."

I nodded, tears were threatening to fall from my eyes and I tried hard to hold them back. The tearful reunion could wait until I got my powers back. There was, after all, something more important to discuss.

"Do you know him? Void, Number Two's man?" I asked.

My mother shook her head, "No. I'm afraid I don't and neither does your father. It's the first we've heard of him. Does the List not say anything about him?"

I shook my head, "I didn't even know Number Two has a lackey as strong as him."

My mom nodded as if she understood, which, I suppose, she does. After all, though I can't quite explain how, she, my dad, and Dana seem to know everything that's been going on with me even without me giving them a head's up. It's one of those side of my powers which I have yet to uncover the secret of...or an explanation to.

"I don't even know what exactly Void's capable of—what his powers are and stuff like that. But, we did learn what Dana's is...and I'm beginning to think she's more dangerous than anyone can possibly think." I went on. "After all, if she can amplify any alien's powers, and that alien turned out to be someone who has a vendetta against every and any specie, that would mean trouble. Joe believes that Dana's the reason why I can't fully use my powers at the moment, and I think he's right."

My mom looked at me, her face masked with seriousness before she spoke, "You already know what Void's powers are, Daniel. Or, at least, you have an idea about it, don't you?"

I looked away. _Did I really? Yes, I did..._

But, I hadn't been entertaining that thought, hoping that perhaps I was wrong.

"You aren't," my mother said, "And you have to find Dana soon, you won't be able to stop Void without her help."

I nodded, "There's another thing, mom. The note..."

"The one behind it? It bothers you." It wasn't a question and even if it was, she already knew the answer. "Your father believes he knows who sent you that note but...he wouldn't say. All he said to tell you was that you would have to deal with this yourself. What I am doing now, well, this would be the last time I am going to be able to talk to you, help you, like this...until you manage to escape this game."

That surprised me, "Wha-why?"

"I'm sorry, Daniel," my mom said, backing away. "I can't say. Not yet...it's against the rules."

"Rules?" I was starting to be scared and that, in turn, made me furious, "Who's rules?"

"Void's," and with that she vanished.

No amount of cussing made me feel better the moment that I woke up. Void has gone _way_ beyond my nerves with his God Complex. But, it was strange that my mom and dad would step back and let me handle this on my own. Usually, when I was in trouble facing off against an alien that's more powerful—or equally powerful—as me, they would either be there to tell me not to go ahead with whatever plans I had come up with or to wait until I'm much more stronger and more prepared. But no matter what they would say, they would always help me out any way they can to the best of their abilities, no matter how limited that may be.

Not once had my parents just stood and watched in the sidelines.

Something was up. I could tell.

_But what?_ Now _that_ was the question.

* * *

I was grumpy all morning. None of my friends could get me to talk so they simply gave me the next best thing—space.

As we trudged through the mountain stage that we had found ourselves in with Willy leading the way and Joe and Emma following close behind, I kept trying to see if my powers had—by some miracle—returned to its full strength. Unfortunately, I was still unable to create anything beyond inanimate objects. That didn't help my mood at all.

Suddenly, my peripheral vision caught something move. Out of reflex I jumped back, my attention in where I have seen the movement, my feet hitting the ground with a crunch so loud that, even though the others were already a couple of ways ahead, they were able to hear it and turn to look around.

"What is it?" Willy asked, holding these two, large, laser guns at the ready.

I squinted at the trees and the bushes, strained my ears to hear and my eyes to see. But there was nothing there now.

I shook my head, "N-Nothing. I just thought I saw something." I let out a nervous chuckle, "Must be the wind."

Willy nodded then motioned for us to continue on with our trek after looking over at where I had saw the rustling. After taking another look and making sure that nothing was indeed there, I hurried along after them.

Thinking back on it now, I should have looked harder. I should have checked twice. Maybe things would have turned out differently than it did. Of course, I wouldn't have known that back then. Back then, I just thought nothing of it and even a long while after that, I still didn't think much of it. It was only now that I understood and questioned these things...

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

So, that's that. Hope you guys loved it. Really sorry about the delay.

Anyways, don't forget to review and I'll see you guys again tomorrow for the next chapter (yep, we're going back on schedule!)

Ciao!


	28. Chapter 25

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Now that we're back on schedule...here's the next chapter to this fan fiction. I hope you guys like it and that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

* * *

"Why are you here _again_?"

I blinked, not really sure how to answer that question myself. I don't even know where 'here' was exactly. It was, I suppose, one of those other things I have to figure out. The list just keeps on growing and growing.

"Are you following me?" Dana asked. She was pissed off, glaring at me like I just ruined whatever was going on with her.

"I can't really follow you if I don't know where you are. Searching is more like it," I answered, looking around the place I have stumbled into.

It wasn't the beach where we had first met but it was under the same circumstance, I suppose I had fallen asleep at some point. We were in a clearing. The grass was as high as my thigh and the night sky was filled with millions—maybe even billions—of stars, all twinkling as if they were winking at us. There was no moon but, even so, I could see everything clearly.

I turned my attention back at Dana who was scowling, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't understand," she said, "why would you follow me? What do you _want _from me?"

"I already told you, I want you to remember." I said, taking one tentative step forward, gauging her reaction. I didn't want her to phase-out on me before we could actually talk like how she did before. "I want you to tell me what happened to you, why you're working for Void and why you're against us. I want so many things but it all comes down to one thing, I want you to come back to us."

_To me_... I wanted to add, but I didn't.

"I don't...I can't..." she was at a lost for words. And, there was something else, something that I didn't notice before. A pained look in her eyes.

"Try," I urged her. "At least try, Dana. Give yourself a chance to remember."

She didn't say anything but simply vanished on me again.

* * *

I opened my eyes, it was still dark out and it was cold.

Even though I have had my fair share of sleeping in the wilderness, I was still not used to it. I don't think I ever will be.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to fell asleep again, and so I stood and went over to where Willy's look-out point. He had volunteered to do the first shift.

When I stepped on a twig and it made a sound, he immediately whirled around, weapon on hand and ready to shoot my head off. Luckily, he didn't pull the trigger.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," he growled, "I could've shot you dead!"

"Well, that's a first. I thought you'd be happy to put a large, gapping hole in the middle of my forehead,"

"That was before you proved that you are Daniel," he huffed, turning his back around so that he was looking out towards the forest again. "Did something wake you up? Was it Joe or Emma's snoring."

"You know your sister's going to kill you if she heard you say that," I said, laughing. Then I turned serious, "It was another dream-thing."

"I don't suppose your mom came back to tell you that she was just pulling your leg?"

"Nope. And, I think that's wishful thinking. When my parents say something like that, they mean it." I sighed. "No, it was...Dana. But this time we weren't at the beach."

Willy looked at me as I sat down beside him and raised an eyebrow, "And where, pray tell, did your date with her end up in this time?"

I gave him a sarcastic laugh, "Date...yeah, right. A clearing. She wasn't as...hostile as she was before. Although, she did accuse me of following her."

"Aren't we doing that by tracking her down?"

"No. We're searching for her, not following her." I corrected. "There's a difference in that."

"And you told her that?" he asked, his eyes trailed back to the darkness of the woods.

"I told her we were searching for her, that I couldn't really follow her if I didn't know where she was and where she was going," I let out a chuckle. "Suffice to say, she was _not_ amused. But, she didn't zapped out on me like before." I took a deep breath before continuing on, "I asked her to try and remember and to come back to us. The way she spoke it was either she doesn't want to or she can't...which doesn't really give us any progress. She did seem like she was having a hard time, though."

"I think that's progress," Willy said softly, "It sounds as though she's confused. And that's good that she is. It means she's thinking things through, trying to remember, and maybe she has remembered a few things but she can't place them anywhere. So she's unconsciously trying to find answers."

"And what does that have to do with me ending up where ever that place was?" I asked, my eyes were at the sky. I knew they weren't real—they were just bits and pieces of code written to look and feel like real stars but, even so, they were beautiful.

"I don't do sappy stuff, Danny." Willy sighed as he scratched the back of his neck, "And I don't want to repeat this to anyone, not even to you, but...have you considered that, maybe, she was unconsciously drawing the answer to her? That maybe _you_ are the answers to al the questions swimming around her head."

He paused, and I quipped, "Wow, that was deep...coming from you, Willy."

He tried to deck me in the head but I managed to jump out of the way, laughing. Willy growled in frustration before standing up.

"The next time you get to talk to her, don't do anything but tell her more about yourself and about her—at least, what you remember of her," Willy advised before he started walking away.

"H-Hey, where are you going?" I hissed.

"To sleep," was his answer, "It's your turn to take watch."

And he didn't even bother to hear me protest about it.

* * *

"Please choose a reward," the AI's voice echoed through the small white room that is the Safe Zone.

There were, once again, three, metallic chests for us to choose from, the contents of which were a mystery to us all, though Willy had guessed that it was one of those discs again. When we did end up choosing the right one and it _did_ end up containing the disc, Willy gave us a smug look as if saying "I told you".

"It's strange," Joe said after he tried playing the disc on his Symbiote. "I can't read it. That can't be right. There isn't a disc in the Outer Worlds that a Symbiote can't read."

"Well," Emma said, taking the discs away from Joe, "apparently, there are. So, what are we supposed to do with this?"

We all looked at our resident Techno-geek.

"What? I already told you I can't access it. It's like the data's being blocked or something."

"So we have to unlock it?" I asked.

Joe shrugged, "I suppose so."

"Well, add that one up on the list of things we have to do or we have to ask Void about once we meet him, grill him, and wipe the floor with him." WIlly said, the tone of his voice was one of impatience.

I really doubt Void was going to tell us anything, but I didn't say it. With nothing left for us to do in the Safe Zone, we jumped into the portal that took us directly to the next level...which was...

A castle. A really huge, gothic castle with a hedge that was set up to be a maze.

We were just facing the entrance to the maze made up of tall hedges, a ways away from the castle that was as imposing as it could possibly get. I was half-expecting a horror soundtrack to play along with the sound effect of thunder and a little bit of lightning. Maybe bats or crows could fly around it. I certainly wouldn't have been surprised if something like that did appear.

Joe whistled, "Now this is...new."

"And so is that," Emma said as she pointed to the entrance of the maze, and of the castle itself.

There were four entrances—an nondescript. But it was evident that we had to choose which way to go. Like with the maze in the cave, Emma tried using her powers to determine the right path to take. Her powers, however, did not help.

"I can't get a read on it," she said after trying a couple of more times. "It's...blank."

"So, what do we do now?" Willy asked, even though the answer was pretty much obvious.

"We choose one and if we end up in a dead-end, we choose another. Trial and error," was my reply.

They nodded. We didn't really have much of a choice. Of course, that all changed when Willy entered the entrance we have decided on and then we found that none of us could enter it any more.

"Huh?" Willy asked, whirling around and he saw that we were not following him, "What's wrong with you guys? What are you waiting for? An invitation?"

"No...we can't get through," and to demonstrate what Joe had said, he took a step forward only to be met by a force field hindering his progress. "See?"

Willy did see and he asked us all to stand back and stay clear before he let a barrage of fire from his weapon out towards the force field. When the smoke cleared, we saw that it didn't do much.

"Maybe one of the other entrances will work, we can just find our way towards Willy," Emma suggested.

We tried doing that with her picking the entrance to the left, closest to the one Willy picked. The moment she and Joe stepped through the entrance together, a barrier suddenly sprang up, leaving me unable to follow after them.

"Great," I muttered, shaking my head. "I'll try the other entrance. Let's just try to meet up at the castle gate."

They nodded.

And that was how we all ended up separated from one another. Again.

I knew, at that point, that that couldn't mean good news. The last time we were separated, I almost died.

_I hope this time's different._

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And there you have it.

This is the final leg of the story, guys. Or, what I would like to call the "Final Arc". I've decided to make a sequel, too. Will tell you guys more about it on the final chapter of this fan fiction...which is still a couple of chapters away. XD

Liked it? Loved it? Tell me what you guys think! Send me a review!

Until the next update! Ciao!


	29. Chapter 26

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

* * *

There was no way to communicate with the others once we were all inside the maze and there was no way out of the maze but to complete it. Trust me. I've tried creating a stepladder, hoping that I could use it to jump over the other side but that didn't work. I only ended up being electrocuted and that hurt a lot.

So, yeah, no choice but to move forward.

The maze was eerily quiet, like I was the only one there. But I knew better than that, not because I knew for a fact that Emma, Willy, and Joe were all moving at their own pace and in their own mazes, but also because I've learned my lesson—one of which is to trust my gut, my instinct. And my instinct was telling me that me and my friends were not the only ones in the maze. There was something else. Something or someone dangerous.

I'm not sure if it was the air—which, by the way, smelled funky, or the fog, which was thicker than normal, or maybe it was because of the fact that the walls, the hedges seemed to be moving, like they have a life of their own. But, whatever it was that was making all of my senses tingle, and putting me on my guard.

This stage wasn't like the other stages we had been before. It made me feel like Void really does mean business this time around.

I wasn't sure if just by thinking of him in that place sort of sent a psychic warning to him, but before I knew it, Void was speaking to me, his voice echoing.

"Scared? Alien Hunter?" he taunted.

"Hardly," was my reply. "I'm actually looking forward to beating the crap out of you."

"My, my, you're even more confident this time around...even though you can't still do much," I tried searching for where his voice was coming from, even thinking that he was behind me, but he was nowhere in sight, "You can't call for backup from your friends—both real and imaginary—and your parents won't even lift a finger to help you. Not that they could since they're both dead for a long while now."

That made my blood boil.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that," I said, trying to keep my temper down and my voice leveled, "How did you manage to convince my mom and dad—at least, my projection of them—from helping me and giving me the answers to the questions I have?"

"Can't you guess?"

"I can guess what your powers are but I doubt those powers are enough to do what you did, and I don't think Dana could have helped. You still haven't found her, right?" I took a step forward, and another, as I said those words. I wasn't sure if Void was really around or he was just "broadcasting" his voice.

"No, I haven't," he sound a little bit disappointed, but not like how I thought he would take that, "I suppose I did teach her well with the ways of this world and the game. Tell me, Daniel, wasn't it such a surprise to learn that the girl you like can't remember you or your friends? That she would follow me blindly and would try to kill you, her own best friend? Or perhaps, the surprise is in the fact that you're not as special as you thought you were. Admit it, you revel in the thought that you were the only Alparian Alien Hunter left in the universe. But now, you learn that your friends are alive and they have as rare a power as yours. What's more, you learn you're not the only one with that gift."

"Not as much as I, as you say, 'revel' in the company of my friends," I retorted. "And, as for you having the same powers as me, that was a surprise, alright. But it's as good a training ground for me as possible. I'll deal with you, then Number Two, and then I'll make sure to come after The Prayer next. I'll make sure the whole Outer World is cleaned of alien outlaws such as yourself!"

"Big words coming from someone who can't fully access his powers," Void laughed, "But, I'll entertain you. Maybe I'll even answer your questions. But first, you would have to get to the castle and find me. Survive this maze, Daniel X, and we'll see where it goes."

And then Void—or rather, his voice—was gone. And I was once again alone, frustrated, and wanting to destroy something to let go of my frustrations. But, I didn't go berserk. Instead, I took that energy and began stomping my way, trying to find the path that would lead me to the castle and then to Void.

* * *

On several occasions, I thought that an enemy or two was going to jump in on me. But, that didn't happen. Once I even thought that Void was going to add some sort of creature that would act like a Sphinx and ask me a riddle in order for me to move forward, but even that didn't come to pass. Still, I didn't let my guard down. I actually summoned a sword and an Opus 50/50 once Void was gone. True, it wasn't much if I were to face against him here and now, but it was better than not being able to defend myself.

Even though I sounded confident, I wasn't sure how I was going to beat someone who has the same powers of creation as me—if not someone who has a stronger power of creation than me. I mean, I don't even know how I could defeat me. Unless of course Dana suddenly decides to help me out and seal Void's powers so that I could just beat him up. But, that wasn't going to happen. Dana wasn't here and, even if she was, she wasn't ready to take any sides—at least, that's what I hope, unless she's going to take _my_ side.

When I first realized what Void's powers were, I couldn't believe how I could have missed _that_. I mean, he did manage to create a world within a game. Of course, I didn't know that that was possible using the power of imagination and creation. I'm not even sure if I could do it with my full strength. If Void wasn't an enemy, I would have been in awe at the amount of concentration he needed and how vast his imagination was to make something like this world. But, since he was an enemy, I tried not to be impressed.

Which was hard. Because I was, begrudgingly, impressed.

Sighing as I round another corner—which, for the umpteenth time was a dead end—I tried to find my way back to the previous intersection, only to be stopped by a cry for help.

I ran, following the cries for help, not thinking or actually seeing the paths I was choosing. Not even thinking about how I was going to retrace my steps. All I could think about was finding the owner of that voice and helping out. It was like my brain short-circuited and the hero complex—the protector—in me kicked in. Not really a good idea if you're inside a maze devised by a seemingly-psychopathic alien outlaw.

The cries for help led me to a square-shaped section of the maze. In the middle was a little girl, maybe five or six years old.

I stopped running, my hands on my knees as I tried to get my breath back. It was weird, I never felt tired after a short run but here, in this maze, I did.

I shook my head, _I'll try to figure that out later. First thing's first._

I took a small step forward, not wanting to frighten the little girl. She was wearing a white dress that went past her knees. Her bleach-blond hair obscuring her face as she cried. I looked around, wondering why she was crying for help, if there were any aliens that were tormenting her, if she was hurt, or maybe as lost as I was.

"H-hey," I said, as softly as I could, trying to sound like the friendly Alien Hunter that I am. "Are you alright?"

Stupid question, I know. If she was crying for help and crying, she was _obviously_ not alright.

She shook her head, still sobbing and not looking at me. I walked closer.

I looked around, no one—apart from us—was in that particular part of the maze, so I walked closer still until I was close enough to touch her. Then I kneeled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's alright. I'm here to help," I said, "I'm Daniel."

"No," the girl said, I could still hear her sobbing but there was something...odd about her voice. "You're not."

I eased back a little, "What?"

"You're food!" It was then that she raised her head to look at me.

Her eyes were like a snake's and her skin began to transform into something scaly. She gripped my wrist just as I was about to take my hand off of her shoulders. Her hands turned a muck-green color and her fingers started to have suctions at the end. Two horns protruded from her forehead. When she grinned at me, her mouth was filled with sharp, jagged, teeth that could rip you and chomp you down without any problems.

I let out a small scream, and I do mean small—not a little-girl-scream—as I struggled to break free of her hold. But it was difficult. It was like those suctions in her fingers were sucking my skin. And it hurt.

Luckily, my other hand was free and I had my powers back. With it I summoned the Opus 50/50. Without thinking twice, I fired it. Hitting the monstrosity in the abdomen.

She—it—gave off a shrill cry that sent shivers down my spine and let go of my hand to cradle her stomach which now had a large, gaping hole in it that's twice the size of my fist, blood soaking the white dress and the ground. The sight of her made me want to puke, and it was a miracle that I didn't.

"Y-you!" she growled, "You will pay for that, Alparian!" She struggled to get up, then pointed at me in a way that looked as though she was beckoning me forward, "I will slowly rip you apart! I will eat you!"

I scrambled away, making sure that the Opus did not leave it's mark. There was no way that I was going to stand there to wait and see if the alien monster could make good with her threat and there was no way I could let something that tricks a person who only wants to help and turns them into nourishment get away.

And so, I pointed the alien weapon at the creature's head. "Sorry," And then I fired.

The body disintegrated, leaving only a charred, white dress where the alien used to be.

I let the Opus disappear before I slumped in the ground. That, surprisingly, took a toll out of me.

Out of nowhere, Void's voice boomed.

"Lesson Number One, Alien Hunter," he said, he sounded patronizing, "Don't be too gullible and too trusting."

I glared at nothing in particular and I took a deep breath before I stood up. I wasn't going to waste my time arguing with a voice. I was going to let all my rage out once I was face to face with a tangible Void so that I could punch him so hard—among other things. I looked back to the way I came and saw that the path had closed. There was no other way but forward, and so onwards I went.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And that ends this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it.

Tell me what you think by writing a review, okay?

That's that for now. Until the next update! Ciao!


	30. Chapter 27

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

* * *

I guess you could say that I should have expected it. I did. It's just that, even though I thought about the possibility, I also thought about how Void won't try to go on a clichéd route. Of course, by thinking that, I also gave him all the more reason to since he knew I wasn't expecting it. With Void, he can really screw your way of thinking. I was beginning to actually see that.

But, Void did open my eyes. I was a sucker for helping others. My dad had warned me about that before. And I had had my fair share of run-ins like that. But, like always, I thought I knew better. I thought that I wouldn't fall for something like that over and over again.

The thing was, I almost-always did.

As I thought about it, I came to a conclusion that helping others isn't a bad deal. It's actually a good thing. But, with my line of work and with how my enemies knew how I couldn't turn my back on someone in need, I should really be careful and not just continue on jumping the gun.

Even though he showed me that to mock me, I knew Void was right. I shouldn't be too gullible.

A sudden rustling not too far behind me caused me to break away from my thoughts and whirl around so fast with the Opus at the ready. I was about to chuck it off as something caused by the wind when a blur shot out of the hedges, tackling me to the ground.

We landed with a thud just in time as a laser beam sliced through the air. It would have decapitated me if I had been standing there for much longer.

"Get up!" came a familiar voice, followed by someone tugging me up.

I looked at Dana, her face was marred with dirt and she looked like she just ran through a forest. She gave me one, powerful tug and I am on my feet.

"D-Dana?" I couldn't believe my eyes. "Wha-what are you—?"

There was a thundering crash behind us and Dana yanked me, "There's no time. Don't make me regret coming here."

I wasn't sure what she was talking about but I could tell by the sounds coming from where she had come from that it wasn't good. Then, another beam sliced through the hedges, completely burning it down. I couldn't believe it. I've tried doing that, creating so many things in hopes of burning the hedges and cheating my way out of the maze but none of them worked and then _this_. I also was not sure what was going on, but Dana didn't give me time to ask because before I could even see what was trying to shoot us, Dana was already dragging me through the maze.

And it wasn't fun.

For some reason, running with Dana was hazardous. Branches suddenly appeared that end up slapping me in the face or bonking me on the head. I could even taste the leaves that had found their way to my mouth. I was pretty sure that there were a dozen cuts and bruises on my face and I already had a concussion by the time we had placed a good deal of distance between us and whatever was pursuing her.

I was huffing and puffing, sweat was trickling down my brow to my chin before falling down the ground. I closed my eyes as I tried to regain my breath, my hands on my knees.

"You're out of shape," Dana said, she didn't sound the least bit tired from such an extensive workout. "Not something I would expect from the famous Alien Hunter."

I have never glared at Dana in my entire life, but right then, I couldn't help it. I glared at her.

"It's not my fault someone zapped me of my powers," I replied, testily, before I shook the negativity away and added in a much calmer tone, "besides, something's up with this place. It's making me feel weaker."

She, in turn, glared back at me like I said something I shouldn't have.

But instead of commenting on her part in all of this, she simply stated, "It's not this place that's making you weak. It's the program."

"The program?" I asked as I let myself fall to the ground to rest. "What are you talking about? What are you doing here? Why did you save me from having my head blown to pieces?"

"Any other questions?" Dana asked, like I could help it if I really do have a lot of questions.

I didn't say anything, reminding myself that getting into a fight with her wouldn't solve anything. Plus, she knows a whole lot more about this place and what's going on than I do. If I could get her to help me, it would make reuniting with the others that much more easier. Of course, getting her to help would be something of a miracle at the moment. She clearly didn't like me.

When it was apparent that I wasn't going to interrupt her, she spoke.

"This world is slowly breaking apart," she said, "It's not that obvious yet but Mas...Void...is redistributing the whole power from the grid into this stage. He's using every single power source he could get in order to keep this game going or, at least, keep this stage going."

"Because you aren't there helping him?" I guessed.

"I still am," she replied, which wasn't the reply I was hoping for, "It is just that, since I am inside the game myself, I am not able to help him with this world a hundred percent."

"And you're here, in this stage, because?"

She looked away, not meeting my gaze before answering, "I was...searching for you."

"Say what?" I was, to say the least, taken aback. "Did I just hear that right? You were looking...for me?"

She turned back at me with a defiant look in her eyes, "I am searching for answers and you seem to know a great deal about me. Or, at least, you claim to know me."

"And that's the reason why you saved my life? Because you need me to fill whatever gaps there are in your memory?" I wanted to make it clear. "And, while we're on that subject, why are Void's toys attacking you too? Because I'm guessing whatever that thing was that was firing at us was really firing at you. If you're still helping Void why didn't he save you from that?"

"Something like that. And the only reason that the AT attacked me is because I'm not supposed to be here. I'm an intruder in this stage since I didn't enter through a Safe Zone." She looks at me pointedly. "That friend of yours? Joe—?"

I cut her off, correcting her, "_Our_ friend. He's not just my friend, he's yours, too. He's part of the _drang_ just like you are. We all grew up together...at least, until my parents moved to Earth."

She shook her head in a "whatever" gesture and continued, "Fine. _Our_ friend, Joe, is lucky that the ATs cannot detect him when he hacks and messes with the program." She then paused and, in a much softer voice asked, "Is that really true? What you said? That we grew up together? That I'm an Alparian?"

I nodded. _Just how much does she not remember? _

I couldn't really believe that she doesn't even know that she's an Alparian like us. That's just...impossibly wrong.

"That can't be..." she breathed out.

I stood up, I have rested enough and I knew I couldn't stay around for much long. If what she says is true then Void was using everyone to fuel up this stage. I had to get to him before I run out of mojo.

"It is true. I wouldn't make it up," I said as I took a look at where we were and I tried to figure out which direction the exit would most likely be. I paused as I remembered something from that dream world that almost got me killed, "You know, back in that place you sent me to? I remembered you telling me to trust what my heart was telling me. Now, I'm not sure if that was a projection of yourself or something else and I knew that at that particular instance it wasn't the best of advice someone could have given but...I think you could use that advice right now. What does your heart tell you, Dana?"

I didn't wait for her to answer. This time around, I was the one who made the first move to leave. I figured it was best to give her some space to think about that and sort out those things herself.

* * *

Dana wasn't happy when I tried to walk out on her. Instead of letting me go on my way, she yanked me back by the collar of my shirt so hard that, for a moment, I couldn't breathe. She wasn't the least bit gentle and she didn't even help me when I fell, flat on my back.

"What?" I growled, still a bit dazed as she looked down at me.

"Where do you think you're going?" She was pissed. "We're not finished yet!"

"I was _trying _to give you some space! Besides, I have to get out of this maze and to that castle to stop Void!" I argued. "Unless you've forgotten, you've also walked out on me twice...not that I'm trying to get even or anything like that but, give me a break!"

She let go of me and I was able to stand up and dust myself. Clearly, _this _Dana was a lot more different than the Dana I had grown accustomed to and the one that I remembered from my childhood—albeit faintly.

I shook my head as I looked at her again, not being able to piece the look she was giving me, I went on to speak, "Look, I know how confused you might be, or how frustrated you are about not being able to...understand a lot of things. I promise I'll help you out, if I could and if I would live through this. But, right now, I have to stop Void before I lose all ability to do so and before he kills off every, single person stuck in this game. So, can you just let me go and let me do this? You can go where ever you like and wait for me—like, zap out of this game or something so you can be wait safely and—"

"Do you think I can't take care of myself? That I can't hold my ground?"

"I didn't say that!" Why must she turn everything into an argument? I really have no idea why. "I just want you to be safe. I don't want Void to be so pissed off that he wouldn't think twice about hurting or killing you."

"I don't know why you have to worry about me," She said, brushing past me before turning back, "But I won't just sit in the sidelines and wait. I'm going to go along with you and make sure you keep that promise of yours."

She didn't wait for me to agree to that. I wasn't really annoyed with how things turned out, though. I was, as crazy as it sounded and as masochistic as it may appear, really glad to have her around. Not only because I was hoping that she'd release the seal she had placed that kept my powers away, but because I was with her—the real, breathing, Dana. Call me optimistic but I couldn't help but think that no matter how crazy things are right now, they would all turn up okay.

But that happy and optimistic feeling went away the moment we delve deeper into the maze and came across the AT that had been pursuing us—or rather, Dana. And this time, the gargantuan, four-legged, metallic robot was not alone. It had brought along an army of those Terminator-look-alikes with it.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

I wasn't supposed to update today. I was supposed to publish this chapter tomorrow since it wouldn't be until tomorrow that we would have our internet connection looked into. It had been in a funk**—**our internet connection, I mean. So, you can imagine my surprise when uploading this chapter worked with only a minor hitch.

Anyways, I suppose a lot of you guys have been waiting for something like this to happen. I'm not sure how you guys envisioned Dana and Daniel reuniting, but...I hope I did a good job with that and that you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I had fun writing it.

If you can, please send me a review and tell me what you guys think. Also, for the sequel**—**since there is really going to be a sequel—I already have the perfect title for it. I won't spoil what the title is here, though. Check my blog for that when I finally write about it (I will let you guys know when that is).

So, that's that for today. Until the next post! Ciao!


	31. Chapter 28

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over **

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

* * *

"Are you ready for Lesson Number Two, Daniel X?" Void's voice boomed as we stood face to face with the robotic army that, despite having no emotion, looked as if they were eager to tear us apart.

"Master Void?" Dana asked, there was a hint of panic in her eyes as she searched for where the voice was coming from.

A pause on the other end, before Void let out a chuckle, "My, my, Dana.._.this _certainly is a surprise. I didn't think I would see you here with _him_."

"I—"

"I don't want to hear excuses." He cut her off before she could say anything more, "It was either you came back after I sent you or you don't. Clearly, you have made your decision. Whether you see the full implications of it or not, well, that seems to be another matter entirely."

I tensed. That didn't sound good and I was ready to jump into Dana's defense should Void decide that this was the right time to dole out her punishment. Not that it would have changed anything once he orders his army to march against us. Still, I wasn't going to just let anything happen to her.

"Don't worry, Alien Hunter, I'm not going to do anything to your precious friend...not yet anyway. I don't want all of this to come tumbling down on me, after all," He laughed, as if that was the most amusing thing he has ever said all day. "Besides, I'm quite curious how you plan on handling the situation."

I balled my fist and grinded my teeth.

"You know what, forget about the second lesson for now," I could almost see Void rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "I'll let you two enjoy this little party I've thrown up now. Later, Daniel X!"

"I am _so _going to hurt that kid once I get my hands on him," I growled.

Dana didn't bother to defend him this time around. I suppose she needed to hear that in order to understand that Void was simply using her. Or maybe she had known that, she just didn't want to _believe _it to be true. I looked over at her, half-expecting a dumbstruck look. But, in the end, I was the one who had that look. She, however, looked as though she had made her decision.

"What are you looking at?" She asked, her voice still a bit shaky. "Shouldn't your attention be at them?" she motioned towards the incoming onslaught.

I shook my head as I pulled my attention towards her, "I don't really get it. Why are you so mad at me? What did I ever do?"

"I don't know," she said that as barely a whisper as we got ready. I had two flaming swords in my hand ready to hack my way out of this mess. Dana, on the other hand, did not have any weapons, well, none that I could see, at least.

"You don't know? What the heck does that _mean_?" I asked as I chopped down a couple of those Terminator dudes. With the heat emanating from my weapons, they slowly began to turn into a puddle of silvery goo. "You don't have to hate me just because Void told you to."

One of the androids flew past me and unto a group of other droids. The powerful collision created an explosion that sent robot pieces raining all around us. I turned to look at the direction where the robot had flown from and I saw Dana, her hands outstretched as she used, I suppose, her power to move things around. It was stronger than my own but I suppose she has her powers to thank for that.

One thing I should have probably kept in mind during a fight is not to let my mind, and my eyes wander to other things. That I should be focused on what was in-front of me, which was all the fighting. Because just as I was about to get back into the fray, I felt a metallic fist collide with my jaw sending me on a three-sixty spin in the air before landing, flat on my back (again) on the ground.

The cyborg who had flipped me, was about to blast me to smithereens when I got my senses back and I switched from flaming swords to the trusty Opus and put a hole on it before it could put a hole on me. I quickly scrambled away from the thing before it toppled over me and stood up, wiping the blood from my busted lip and spitting blood.

There were so many of them and only two of us and I knew that, at the rate we were going, it would be impossible to fight them all off.

"We have to pull back," I realized then. I turned to Dana, "We have to go! We can't take them all on. We have to find another way!"

She looked back at me and nodded just as she sent another robot-dude crashing, and this time she sent it towards the large, four-legged monstrosity—which was the AT—before she ran towards me, taking out as many droids as she could. As I fought my own set of battles, I couldn't help but be mesmerize by her. Sure, I have always looked and saw her as someone incredible, but this time it felt different. I knew I didn't just have a crush at something I have a hand in creating, but someone who was real. As she wrecked one robotic alien after another, I couldn't help but compare her to some war goddess...as cheesy as that sounds.

I shook the thought away. There was a time and place for thoughts like that, and _this _was not one of them. Survival should be what's at the forefront of my mind.

"I don't suppose you can take us out of this game with your powers?" I asked as we fled from the area, our enemies chasing us as we go.

In answer, Dana took my hand and, for a moment, both of us were bathed in a shimmering, blue-green light. But then the light vanished and we were still running for our lives.

She shook her head, "Void won't let me. He's trapped me here as well."

"Wait, what? I thought you're the only one who can seal or increase someone's powers?"

"That's true, Void can't do that but..." She trailed of as we found ourselves in a branching path, "but he has this machine. He uses it when I'm not around to block someone's powers. While I'm here, that machine is the one that's keeping you from using yours."

We took the right path then headed up to a much denser part of the maze. We were slowly loosing our pursuers, but we had no idea if we were going the right way.

"So then, Joe's wrong. Void still has control of when I get my powers back...if I get it back at all..." I couldn't help but feel disappointed with that. I was hoping that Dana could let me have my powers back now that she had been dumped by Void. "He thought that you were unwittingly giving them back to me."

She didn't say anything to confirm or deny that. I had no idea what that meant.

Silence enveloped us soon after that, and we stayed that way. I suppose we were both thinking that the quieter we were, the more unlikely it was that those Terminator dudes and the AT would find us. I don't know how far we've walked or how long we have been walking, but soon the maze began to look different. The hedges were gone and, instead, we were being boxed in by trees of varying shape and sizes. They were so closely placed that it was impossible to squeeze through them and the branches so far apart that it was impossible to climb them.

All we could do was follow the path. And follow it we did.

* * *

It wasn't long before fatigued set in and I told Dana that I needed to rest. To her credit, she didn't comment on how poor my stamina was.

We found a hollowed-out tree—which, in all honesty—looked more like a wooden cave than anything else, and decided to stay there in the meantime. I sat down, making myself comfortable, or as comfortable as I could be under such circumstances. Dana sat a little ways away from me, hugging her knees to her chest. Her clothes—which were the same clothes she was wearing when I first saw her—were dirty and had holes and gashes on them. She didn't seem to be hurt, though...which was a good thing.

"It wasn't partly true," she said after a while, just as I was about to fall asleep.

"What is?" I asked, not really sure what she's talking about.

"When you asked me why I hate you," she answered, her eyes looked distant, like she was trying to sort things out. "I don't really know the reason, it's just that...I can't help but have that strange feeling that you did something to make me...feel that way about you. It doesn't have anything to do with Void, that much I'm sure of, though..."

I frowned, "Something I did? To you?"

I have no idea what that is. I mean, the last time we saw each other was before I left Alpar Nok. And, I was sure that I didn't do anything to warrant such a feeling from her when I was there. I was sure I did nothing to even make her annoyed with me so much that annoyance would turn into hate—a hatred that would allow her to even work for Void and help him kill me. I was even willing to bet that Willy, Joe, and Emma would attest to that.

"Are you sure about that? Are you sure that Void isn't messing with your memories?" I asked.

"He can't do that..." Dana shook her head, "Unless, of course, he has some other alien who has such an ability that I didn't know of. Void's powers are similar to yours, Daniel. He doesn't have anything else besides that."

I was silent for a while before I said, "I'm sorry. But I don't really recall doing anything to make you hate me. And I can tell you that I would never do anything to hurt you either. You're way too important to me."

"Are you simply saying that because I can help you get out of this game? Because you think I can give you your powers back and help you defeat Void?"

"No! That's not it!" I protested, getting up and almost hitting my head on a low-lying branch. "Even before all of this happened, you have always been important to me, Dana."

She looked at me and blinked, like she didn't just get what I had said. Truth be told, though...I wasn't really planning on saying something like that. True, the Dana that I have been with for the past years knew about how much I liked her, but that was because she can see through my mind, she knows what I'm thinking—after all, she practically lives there. But she wasn't _that _Dana.

She didn't say anything, though. Just stared at me.

I sighed and went back to sit, "I have to admit, though. I've forgotten that you and the others really existed and the memories only came flying back to me when Blaleen reminded me of my _drang_. I thought that you, Emma, Willy, and Joe were all just imaginary friends of mine—friends I created out of my imagination because of the loneliness I felt when my parents were murdered by The Prayer." My eyes lit up then, as I thought of something, "Wait, is that the reason? Because I forgot that you guys were real?"

"Wouldn't that be hypocritical of me? You ended up remembering but I still have no idea who you are, Daniel, other than being the Alien Hunter that has gotten everyone on edge." Dana said, looking away once more. "That's the reason why I wanted to find you, to learn who you are exactly and why I hate you so much, but, at the same time you make me feel something that I'm not even sure I have ever felt before. It's so confusing."

I perked up.

She exhaled, "And that whole dream-thing that Void made me fuel, that only made me all the more confused. Because you seem to really know me there. You were so happy, so content, and so quick to trust whatever it was that the 'me' there would say. And, even though I had tried to kill you, you are still giving me the benefit of the doubt that I didn't want to do it. Even now you aren't worried that I might try to kill you. Why is that?"

I chuckled, "That's not so hard a question to answer, Dana. It's simple really. Because it's _you_."

"What does _that _mean?" She eyed me like I was making fun and I wasn't serious. I was, of course.

"It means that I trust you. No matter what, I always will. I'm blind to everything else that you may have done wrong or to any flaw that you may have," I answered, taking courage and moving closer to her, gauging her reaction. She didn't seem to mind, "You're my Achilles' heel—my weakness. It does hurt that you can't remember me right now, but I'm willing to wait for your memories of me to return. To help you in any way possible. I guess Void knew that, that's why he used you against me."

I meant every word that I said. She seemed to get that, too.

"Why?" but she just couldn't not ask that question.

_This isn't how I imagined telling her would be._

I took a deep breath, "Because I _love _you. I always had, and I always will. Call me crazy, but love works like that."

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, admitting you love someone isn't as easy as it sounds—especially if the girl you admitted it to doesn't remember you, is wary of you, and is seemingly confused at the concept of love or of the fact that you would trust her when she had done nothing but try to kill you and aid the one who had placed you in your current, dire predicament.

If you were expecting Dana to have tears welling up in her eyes, holding back a sob and then slowly getting up before running over to me to give me a great-big-hug, followed by a kiss, and telling me that she loved me too, or if you were expecting that her eyes would suddenly light up with realization and recollection as she remembered who I am and all the happy memories we had together...well, I hate to disappoint you, but that wasn't what happened. My life isn't a fairytale, and it was never that easy.

So, what did the girl of my dreams do to me?

She slapped me. Hard. So hard that I had a red, hand-shaped mark on my cheek.

"Wha-what did you do that for?" I asked, backing away. I wouldn't surprised if my eyes were bulging.

Looking at Dana, she didn't seem angry. She seemed more surprise at what she had done, her eyes were wide and her mouth agape.

"I'm sorry," she gushed, "I didn't know what came into me. I didn't mean to—"

I held up my hand, telling her to not bother explaining as I rubbed my cheek. "Uh...not exactly the reaction I was hoping for. An 'I don't feel the same way about you' would have sufficed, you know."

"It's not that. I already told you, I don't actually _know _what I feel about you. I really didn't mean to slap you."

"Really?" I eyed her. "A slap as hard as that and you're telling me you didn't mean it? I'm afraid to make you angry enough to slap me when you do mean it."

After that, she kept silent and I sighed. Like I've said, it wasn't like a fairytale and it wasn't romantic.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

Ahahaha, I really don't know what to say about this chapter but perhaps you guys weren't expecting _that_ to be Dana's reaction. Anyways, I've got some news regarding this fanfic over on my blog, news which includes _when_ the final chapter will be released-among other things.

Also, don't worry if you didn't get enough DanaXDaniel fix from this chapter. There's a chapter coming up that would, probably, fix that for you.

So, that's that for today. I sure do hope to hear from you guys on what you think of the story so far. A review would be nice. *wink, wink*

Until then! Ciao!


	32. Chapter 29

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I don't really have much to say except: Enjoy! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

* * *

As soon as we were well-rested, Dana and I left the safety of the hollowed-out tree and continued on our way. We didn't say a word about what I had said, about my feelings for her. I didn't know what to make of that. I couldn't really resent how it turned out, after all, everything between us and about us at the moment was complicated. I was willing to wait, even though patience really isn't one of my strong suits.

There wasn't any awkwardness while we were resting, though. I mean, after that whole slapping-me-thing. We passed time with me telling her all I could remember about her. All the misadventures that we—along with the other members of the _drang—_found ourselves in before I left for Terra Firma. I also told her things about me, things I figured she should know but didn't. Things that the other Dana knew about me. I also mentioned the other Dana to her, which also surprised her. I couldn't _not _tell her about that Dana since I was telling her about all the adventures that I had since becoming the Alien Hunter.

The thing about the maze that we were in was that it wasn't as short a maze as I originally thought. Days had passed since I last saw Emma, Willy, and Joe; days since Dana found me and since Void had issued me the challenge to finish off this whole thing in the castle. Dana had gradually softened up to me during that time. She no longer snapped at me or looked at me with a cold and calculating gaze. She was friendlier...or, at least, friendlier than she was before and she didn't seem too intent on killing me anymore, which was always a good thing no matter who I was with.

Void didn't speak to us and I never got to learn what the second lesson was. I guess he was prepping up for our showdown. And that made me all the more worried. I would have preferred that he was taunting me, that way, I knew he was caught up with making me frustrated and annoyed with him rather than not knowing what he was doing or what he was planning to do.

The imminent battle with Void wasn't the only thing I was worried about. I was also worried about the rest of my _drang_. We still haven't seen any of them and fear gripped me as the possible scenarios entered my mind. The various "What ifs" played through my mind as the thought of Void slowly eating all the energy—the life force—of everyone in the game came tumbling back. It made me all the more anxious, all the more impatient. And all the more prone to mistakes during the times when we came across battalions of Terminator aliens. That, in-turn, made Dana annoyed with me.

"What kind of Alien Hunter are you?" She had asked. "You keep fumbling around like that and it'll be a miracle for us to get out of here alive."

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm just...worried. About the others...and for us, too. Frankly, I'm surprised that you aren't feeling as beat up as I am. Whatever training Void put you into, it must've been intense."

"It's not the training," she paused as if she reconsidering what she was about to say and what she had just said. "I've been half-expecting to have the same nauseous feeling that comes along with the whole draining-thing, but I haven't been feeling it. It's...strange. Do you think Void is sparing me?"

"Maybe. Who knows what he's thinking." I answered. "How long do you think it would take before we get to the Castle?"

She shrugged. The look of frustration crossing her face as I guessed she remembered how her powers, or her ability to jump levels, were being blocked by Void. "We should be getting closer if this change in scenery is any indication."

True enough, our surroundings had indeed changed. It was no longer tall hedges, or even claustrophobia-inducing trees that were boxing us in. It was cliff walls on both sides. We couldn't see anything except what was in-front of us—which was a never-ending path that either veered left, or right, or rose up, or dipped low, or opened up to an intersection or a crossroad—or what was above us—which was the cloudless and endless blue sky, the sun beating down on us making us sweaty and thirsty. Luckily, we didn't dehydrate or found ourselves going hungry thanks to my powers.

Apart from the occasional cyborgs and androids that found their way to us or we found ourselves bumping to, we didn't meet any other alien enemies. And, those that we did meet, we made short work of. It was a good kind of strange, fighting along Dana. I know I've said it quite a lot before, but it sure felt different and new. And we sure as hell made a great team, even though both of us could only use a fraction of our powers. Thinking about that made me wonder: what _could _we do if we weren't stuck at the half-way point?

"Stop daydreaming," Dana elbowed me as she came to a stop. I realized we were standing in-front of a road that branched to the northwest and the northeast. She looked at me expectantly, the look that said that it was my call which way we were going.

"I wasn't 'daydreaming', I was just thinking about stuff!" I countered, which was about as useless as trying to make a dent on the cliff walls. "We'll go—"

Before I could point towards the northeast way, the one that rose up, I heard voices. And, judging by the way Dana quickly perked up, I knew she heard it, too. We stood there, like statues, trying to figure out where the voices were coming from and who owns them. Were we going to meet dangerous aliens or maybe fellow players who had been stuck in this game for who-knows-how-long experiencing the same feeling of energy being drained from them that I was feeling? Waiting there while being on our guard was the only way to find that out.

Dana looked at me and I nodded, calling forth two Opus 50/50s and handing her one of them. She was pretty kick-ass with just her psychic powers, but I wasn't going to let her keep fighting unequipped like that—and I did tell her that a couple of times before. It was only three days ago when she finally gave into my pleas for using at least one weapon when she almost got herself injured by an AT who miraculously found its way to us...again.

She readied herself just as I did, as we both hid behind a large boulder. It didn't matter, at that point, if it was a friend or a foe. We would have a better advantage in a fight if we surprised our enemies—that was what both of us thought, something that I had come to fully understand in this game.

We waited and waited, until finally the voices became louder but still indistinguishable. And so, when the group—for it was a group what with the cacophony of voices—came into our range of fires, Dana and I jumped from our hiding places calling the group to a halt, our fingers not leaving the trigger as the Opus remained lock on them.

Of course, when the stunned and battle-ready faces of Emma, Willy and Joe were the ones that greeted us, the Opus on my hand quickly disappeared. The look of surprise on my face upon meeting them all there? Not so much.

"Daniel?" Emma asked tentatively, as if she couldn't believe it was me. Not that I could blame her, what with Dana still looking at them like they're a threat, the Opus still pointed dangerously at them. "And...Dana? What are you guys doing here?"

I looked at her with a look that says 'Are you kidding me?'. She got the message.

"We didn't think we'd run into you...or Dana...or both of you together so soon," It was Willy who spoke, nonchalantly, as if he could care less that Dana could fire the Opus at them. "It was hell back there, not that it's any different right now. And can you please put that thing down before you accidentally hurt someone, Dana?"

Dana hesitated before she did what she was told.

"It's a good thing that we're all back together again but, how did you two end up together?" Joe asked, "And why do you two look like you've been through worse things than we did?"

I looked down at what I was wearing, which was pretty much a tattered and dirty. Same goes with Dana. It didn't occur to me, until now, how we both must look. I shook my head, concentrated and allowed the change to happen. Before you can say "shopping", my clothes were different—gone were the guerilla look and I was back to wearing my usual outfit, which was a pair of jeans, and a plain t-shirt. In my hand were another set of clothing which I handed to Dana. She raised an eyebrow but didn't comment before she returned to the boulder to change.

While she was changing, I told the others what had happened: from the moment that we were separated, to the moment when Dana tackled me, up to the point prior to our little reunion with them. I told them everything, which included the whole energy-zapping thing to power-up this final level. The only thing that I left out was that moment between me and Dana inside the hollowed tree. There was no way I was going to share that to them if I could help it.

"So we have to hurry, then," Emma spoke the obvious.

"Yeah," I nodded, "We've been trying to make our way to the castle as fast as we could but it seems like the more we hurry, the more Void makes the maze longer."

"That's not true," Joe argued as he showed us his Symbiote which had all sorts of data displayed on it. "We're close. I was wondering why we have such high energy readings. It makes sense now. The closer we get, the higher the readings go. If we keep following the readings we'll get there in no time."

Willy and Emma nodded.

Then Willy said, "We can use Emma's skill to make our way out of this place faster. She was the reason why we managed to reuniting earlier than I had expected."

I nodded. I didn't need to tell them that I almost made a mistake in choosing the path and would have ended up going in a round-about way before they showed up. After all, I was about to choose the path that they were coming down from. So much for my sense of direction.

As we were having our discussion, I kept glancing at Dana. She was keeping quiet, watching us with so much intensity that I thought we would suddenly end up combusting. She didn't look at us like she was angry, though. The expression on her face was a troubled one.

_She's trying to remember._ I noted. Then, silently I prayed that she would. She may not say it but I suppose it hurts for her not to remember anything, clawing for some semblance of familiarity. Something that she had told me I was, even when she wasn't sure why.

I didn't question that, though. I was happy that, for some reason, she sees me as a constant. Something that would ground her and wheel her memories back.

* * *

We stood facing the large, wrought iron gates that greeted us as we finally got through the maze. Whereas the weather in the maze was clear, sunny and warm during the day and fair during the night, the weather that awaits us beyond the gates leading to the castle was anything but.

The wind howled furiously, whipping the coats that I had created to keep us warm and making our hair dance along with it. The air was cold that it almost felt like it was winter, our breaths were visible as puffs of smoke. There was a smell of wet earth and the sky looked as if it was threatening to pour. An occasional lightning would flash across the darkened sky. It wasn't anything like how we had first seen the castle or how it had looked before as it loomed and taunted us as we made our way through the maze.

Something had changed. And, judging from how the weather was turning out to be, it was something big. Something bad.

"We're finally here," Dana whispered as she stood next to me, gazing up at the imposing structure that stood before us. The large, double doors were opened and beyond it the darkness looked as if it was beckoning us closer to either our escape—our salvation—or our doom.

"Yeah," I nodded. We finally arrived.

"Better get ourselves ready," Willy said as he began checking his armaments. "Who knows what we're going to face in there."

"I'm sure whatever it is, it would be meant to make it difficult for us." Emma pointed out, "It is the final stage and that is how it goes, right?"

Joe nodded, "That is usually the case. As far as I can tell final stages tend to be grueling as it tests not only a player's mettle but also their physical abilities...or something along that lines."

I took a deep breath. "Well, no use standing around here just talking about it. Let's get ready and head out."

A chorus of agreement was the answer.

As we were getting ourselves ready, I kept looking at the giant castle that looked as though it was taken straight out of a Disney fairy tale, though it wasn't the castle that the prince or princess would be living in...Unless they were being held prisoner by some malicious, evil witch or queen.

_Somewhere in there, Void's waiting for me._ I kept thinking about his challenge. I looked over at Dana who was looking at me like she understood what I was thinking. _And waiting for her, too._

* * *

**To be continued...**


	33. Chapter 30

**A Daniel X Fanfiction**

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirty**

* * *

Our footsteps echoed in the walls that extended through the eerily lighted halls. Despite how high the ceiling was—so high that it was impossible to see anything beyond the darkness above—and how wide the halls were, one cannot help but still feel claustrophobic and confined. Each sound that reverberated around us was enough to make anyone jump. Our nerves were frayed in anticipation for Void's attack. But the castle was a maze of its own that made our heads spin and our sense of direction go haywire that even though we've been in the castle for such a long time already, we have yet to make it anywhere beyond the first floor.

"Whoever Void's architect is, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind." Willy made a frustrated noise.

"He is his own architect," Dana told him, and I could see she was fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Everything in here is all Void."

I saw as the rest of my _drang _looked at the room anew. Like they were seeing Void for who he really was for the first time, which was strange since they should already know what kind of alien we were dealing with—a sadistic, demented, power-hungry alien with a God complex.

Willy whistled, "Twisted" was the only word he used to describe what we already know about the "man" behind the game and the game itself.

We didn't waste our breaths after that as we all focused on one thing: finding a way to the next floor and to the place where Void was waiting for us. We knew we didn't have much time left, even though we didn't say much about it. With the exception of Dana, we were all feeling the effects of Void's energy-sucking technology—whatever that technology was—in order to power-up this final stage.

It was minutes later when Void finally let his presence be known in the place.

"Welcome, Alien Hunters," his voice echoed through the wide ballroom we had found ourselves in in our attempt to find the stairs. "to the final stage of the game."

We all tensed, readying ourselves to leap into the battle should Void decide not to wait for us and that the fight would start right then and there.

"Show yourself you damn alien outlaw!" Willy shouted and I could see the anger in him being mirrored by Emma. They had more than their lives at stake here as I recalled that we were also fighting for the lives of their parents. "I've got a couple of bullets here that would want to get to meet you up close and personal!"

"Where are our parents!" Emma shouted at the same time, her firsts were balled. I guess they haven't seen or heard from Void until now.

"Impatient, are we?" Void laughed, "As much as I would like to end all of this right now, that wouldn't be much fun, would it? I would like to see all of you squirm and beg for your life," he paused, "or beg for your friends' lives."

"Enough of the games, Void!" I shouted, what he had said made me worried. He was up to something more than simply wanting to see us struggle. "We've grown tired of this! It's time to end this right now!"

"Daniel, Daniel," Void sighed, "who said this is still a game? It's more than that now. I had thought you'd figured it all now; perhaps your parents have given you a hint. Oh, wait! They can't interfere, can they?"

He laughed, and I just got fed up with it that I summoned an alien weapon I didn't know I could summon, much less know anything about. It was bigger than the Opus and ate up the whole of my arm, covering it in a dark, grayish-blue, metallic casing. It was heavy but my anger made me stronger, it kept me from staggering. Then there was the buzzing in my mind and before I knew what I was doing, I had fired the weapon attached to my arm and a set of multi-colored beams that seemed to have a life of their own shot out of it, hitting pillars, walls, the shiny, floor and the ornaments that hang around the ballroom. Dust, smoke, and debris rained down on us.

But I didn't care. I didn't care if I ripped this whole castle apart just so I could get to Void. It didn't matter if the whole place caved in. It didn't help that all Void did was laugh, making me angrier. My anger fueled me as I let another blast rip. There was shouting, but I couldn't understand what was being said. All that was in my mind was getting rid of Void...no matter what the cost.

"Stop it!" those two words cut through the haze of anger that had enveloped me and the Void's laughter. "Daniel, stop it!"

_Why should I? _I thought to myself, though I didn't say it out loud.

I kept on firing the weapon and I could feel the tremors as the foundation of the castle was slowly being obliterated. And then, someone slapped me. Hard. A familiar sensation that snapped me out of my rampage and made the weapon that had been on my arm disappear.

I blinked, seeing Dana, her hand raised as if she was ready to strike me again. She looked aghast...and she was looking at _me_.

"Stop it..." she said but instead of her slapping my face, she punched me—not that hard—on the chest.

"You should listen to her, Daniel. That's what the third lesson is: control your anger." Void's voice was as annoying as ever, sounding smug. "Not only that but you wouldn't want to destroy what your parents themselves had helped build."

Void's words were stronger than Dana giving a high-five to my face, and colder than being doused by water from the North Pole. I was stunned, to say the least. And I wasn't the only one. Even Dana, Emma, Willy, and Joe—whose faces, hair, and clothes were all marred with dust—had their mouths agape.

"W-what did you say?" I shouted, looking around the room that had as many holes as a piece of cheese. "My parents would never have helped you with this! What you're saying is impossible!"

"You want to learn the truth, Daniel X? The truth about this place and your parents? Then come find me at the throne room." Void's voice was slowly fading, and for the first time I didn't want him to go. I want him to tell me what he knows right that minute. But Void had other plans and the last thing he said to us was: "I'll be waiting."

* * *

I didn't say anything and my _drang_ didn't say anything to me either. There were no words to say, or maybe I should say that we didn't need words at all. I think they understood just how much of a shock it was, that I didn't know what to make of it or what to think and believe. I knew they were as confused as I was. How could Altrea and Graff help Void? When could they have helped him create something like this game when Dana had been the one maintaining it with him? What did Void do to my parents, what did he had on them, to force them to help him? He who was an outlaw? Who stood for the things that my parents had sworn to protect the whole outer universe from?

Too many questions with answers that could only be attained by finding the throne room.

"I'm sorry," Dana suddenly spoke in a hushed whisper as she matched my pace step for step, even though she didn't need to speak that way as Emma and the others were already so far ahead of us.

"About what?" I asked, I could probably name a couple of things she was sorry for. "Sorry about learning that my parents had helped build this place? Sorry that I can't even control myself when I'm angry and I almost caused the castle to cave-in on us?"

"For all of that and for hitting you again," she said and, at first, I thought she was joking. But, when I took a look at her, she was so serious. Like slapping my face for the second time really was a big deal for her.

"Don't...think about it too much," I said, although I could still feel the sting. "To tell you the truth, I should probably thank you for that. If you hadn't snapped me back, I would have probably destroyed this whole place or Willy would have done something more drastic to stop me. And, as much as I would want to destroy this castle, I wouldn't want it to come crashing down on us. So...thanks."

Then I gave Dana a small smile, one she returned.

"I've been remembering things slowly...things about me," she suddenly said, changing the topic.

"About what? Since when?" I fired both questions rapidly, happy to know that she had begun to remember.

"Since we met up with them," she nodded towards the direction of the rest of our _drang_. "I didn't want to say anything since I don't know how much of it I could remember, or if it's even something to be excited about. But," she paused, looking at me before saying, "you seem to need something to cheer you up after what had just happened and you seem as though something like that would cheer you up." another smile before she went on, "I guess I was right."

"Of course I'd be happy to know that." I said, grinning. It felt like it had been a long time since I gave such a grin. "So, what did you remember?"

Her eyes stayed glued forward as she spoke, "Nothing much. I remember Alpar Nok. I remember my parents and the places they had taken me when I was a baby. As for memories of other people and events? It's still a giant blank for me."

"But it's a start. I'm sure you'll come to remember everything that had happened to you once this is all over." A cloud passed over my face, "Void's the one to blame for what happened to you."

"Maybe, but I can't shake the feeling that there's something more to it than that."

I shrugged. "Who knows?" _Apart from Void, that is._

* * *

We didn't have to search for the stairs for long soon after that. It was like Void just wanted us to get tired from walking and running and hitting dead-ends before this one door we haven't noticed suddenly sprang open revealing the staircase that we had been looking for. No enemies, no guards, attacked or pursued us on the first floor, but once we hit the second it was like war. There was no reprieve from enemies—things, aliens, we had seen on previous levels greeted us and made sure to make our search for the throne room harder.

Unlike the rest of us, however, Willy was more than happy to take them all on. He had told us to run on ahead, but we couldn't let him handle the hordes of enemies by himself and so we vetoed his suggestion and we all stayed around to fight—or, at least, to clear a path for all of us to make it safely out of the fray.

I tried summoning that weapon that had appeared before but I couldn't do it again. When I asked our weapons expert if he knows what it was, Willy said that it was the first time he ever saw said weapon and that he was hoping that I was the one who'd be able to tell him about things about it, such as where to get one of that. After that, Willy had tried to talk me into making one for him but I firmly stood by what I said. I couldn't call on it again. Whatever that weapon was, it seemed as though it was a one-time deal...

"I don't think you should try calling for it or even using it if you do end up creating it again," Emma told me at one point when we stood, back-to-back engaging a group of Wereboars.

"Why?" I asked her, "It's a pretty useful weapon if we want to get through with this whole game as soon as we can."

"But not at the expense of losing yourself to that kind of power, Daniel," Emma said as she turned a part of the wall into a fist that slammed into a charging Wereboar. "I saw what it did to you, and so did Dana. It was a good thing she was right there to snap you back to your senses."

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

Another monster went down, "You know what I mean! You were so blinded by your anger that you forgot all about us and you didn't even think twice about the danger you're putting not only us but yourself into when you started going berserk with that thing attached to your arm."

"You said it yourself, the anger was what blinded me, not the weapon," I countered.

"But the weapon was channeling it," Dana had joined in on our conversation, "I thought I was the only one who noticed but..."

"No, you weren't the only one, Dana," Emma chimed in, encasing us in a cocoon made of earth as a larger-than-normal Wereboar charged us and as we wait for my Opus to charge-up, "I saw it, too."

I shook my head, "Look, girls, you're just blowing this up out of proportion."

"No, we're not!" they retorted in unison. It was strange, hearing them agree on one thing and cornering me. It was like Dana never helped Void. I guess that's one of the great things about my _drang_, we don't let anything stand in the way of our friendship.

The Wereboar charged again and I couldn't believe how slow the Opus was charging right now. _And what the heck are Willy and Joe doing? No, scratch that, why aren't Emma and Dana doing anything apart from grilling me with that weapon..._

_Oh, of course. _This_ is more important than making sure we've defeated the Wereboar..._

I sighed.

"Look, just promise us that you won't try using it again," Emma said, and the way she and Dana looked at me told me that they would accept nothing less than me agreeing with them.

"No matter what, you won't use it," Dana added.

The Opus finally finished charging, but before Emma lowered one part of the wall to allow me to shoot, they made me agree with them. And so I gave them my word.

"I won't use it. No matter what." Then I raised my right hand, "I swear. Alien Hunter's honor."

That earned me a synchronized eye roll from my two female friends. And then, we were off. Me blasting away with a recharged Opus, Dana doing the same but mixing it up with her hyper-psychic powers or whatever you want to call it, and Emma making sure that we were all well defended while dishing out her own brands of attack that would give the Wereboars one heck of a headache should they ever wake up—which was highly unlikely.

Soon enough we have cleared the way and have found the next staircase. Without further ceremony we clambered up. It didn't matter if we were tired or if we had scratches from the earlier fray. We had to get to the throne room and we had to get there soon.

What greeted us on the third floor was an even larger ballroom than the one we had entered before. It was so big that you can't see anything beyond and above you but a dim light. There was a hum in the room, too. A certain vibration in the air and in the ground, even the walls. It was as if some sort of power was surging down the room. As soon as we took our first step, the staircase vanished. The message was clear. We weren't allowed to turn tail—not that any of us were planning to when the going gets tough.

"Can you guys feel that?" Joe asked.

"It's hard to miss," Emma said, an annoyed look at her face. "What you guys are feeling, I feel it ten times worse. It's giving me a migraine."

"How about you?" I asked Dana, worried that maybe she too was feeling the effects of whatever was in this humongous room.

She shook her head, looking at me like I was crazy for even asking her that question, "No. I don't share the same powers as Emma, remember?"

"I know that, but you do share something with this world. You helped Void maintain it for so long," I countered. "Plus, you have stronger psychic powers than the rest of us—something that I've noticed. I'm just thinking of the possibility that your 'psychic senses' are tingling."

"I don't know if you're really worried about me or making fun of me, or both."

"Worried, definitely worried." I said, but, even as I assured her of that, Dana punched me in the shoulder. Which, I need to stress, _really_ hurt. She has got to learn to control that impulse to just suddenly hit me. Or she could at least give me some warning. Then again, when it comes to her, I always have my guard down.

"You guys should probably stop your bickering, and sis...you may want to try to hold back on your migraine if you can," Willy spoke. I didn't notice that he had been staring quietly at what lay before us until he finally spoke, and there was a subtle hint of panic in his voice.

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked, moving towards him, looking around for whatever might have shaken our 'unshakable' friend.

"That," Willy pointed at a huge shadow that I somehow missed.

The shadow wasn't really a shadow, as I first thought. How did I come to that conclusion? Because shadows _don't_ have eyes—red ones. They don't have large, black claws either. Nor do shadows have sharp, pointy teeth. And they don't certainly have dark-greenish scales that sort of glitters when the light from the room touches it. Nope, it wasn't just a forty-foot shadow.

"Is that...what I think it is?" Gulped Joe.

"Oh, yeah..." Willy breathed. And I realized, it wasn't panic but awe in his voice.

"You have got to be kidding me," Emma looked as appalled as I felt.

"Ditto," Dana didn't look any different from Emma.

"Nope, I don't think this is a joke...especially since this is Void's little world," I readied myself, as the monstrosity finally took notice of us, "As clichéd as it is...We have a dragon in a castle to deal with."

* * *

**To be continued...**


	34. Chapter 31

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

* * *

The dragon roared and the ground shook. It was like his roar was enough to knock us unbalance and off of our feet—which it did. But, I suppose no one felt the full effects of the roar better than Emma who crumpled to the ground with her hands on her ears trying to block the sound—and, I suppose, the vibrations—out of her head. It did no good and soon Willy had to drag his sister to a much safer place at a much safer distance. Which also meant that Dana, Joe, and I had to deal with the dragon by ourselves.

We were shocked to see a dragon, but not for the reason that most people might think. You see, it's no secret that dragons existed. Just like how Elephants are animals from Alpar Nok—and a sacred animal to our planet, no less—dragons were the same. They came from a distant planet on the second quadrant of the Zelepatoc universe—which is a universe that is trillions upon trillions of light years away. As far as I could remember reading from the history of the universe, the dragons were sent as a way for the people of Vulcan to spy on Earthlings—or, more specifically, how you humans live. But, as fate would have it, the dragons' existence became known and, out of fear, humans began hunting them. Eventually, these non-warring, alien scouts grew tired of the persecution and begun fighting back. They grew fierce and began hating and destroying humans, their livelihoods and their livestock...not to mention anything that resembled humans. Which, of course, meant bad for us. We may not be homo-sapiens, but we do look a lot like you guys.

It's a shame. None of us wanted to fight the dragon, not because it can roast us or chomp on us like we're nothing but pieces of popcorn, but because it is one frighteningly majestic creature—a creature who was only sent on a mission to learn about the human race but who had turned into something that terrorizes humanity. I'm not sure about the others, but I can say that I don't want to fight something like that.

But we really didn't have a choice. It was either the dragon or us and the rest of the galaxy.

The dragon roared a second time and worry flooded over me as I took a quick look to where Willy had disappeared with Emma. Fighting really was the only option available to us. There was no way that we could outrun the dragon and no way to tell if it wouldn't chase us. What's more, we can't really outrun something so big with Emma out of action, being carried by her brother. And, who's to say that there was even an exit? For all we knew Void made it so that the exit would only appear when the dragon was defeated.

So, like I've said, we really didn't have much of a choice.

"I don't suppose you have any experience downing a dragon, Daniel?" Joe sounded hopeful as he shouted that question while furiously pounding his fingers on his Symbiote's keypad, searching for who-knows-what at a time like this.

The pillar I was hiding behind in was really a poor choice of a hiding place so I searched for another one while trying to come up with a way to dispose of the dragon, "Nope. I probably won't be alive right now if I did come across one. What about you guys?"

"Never," Joe shouted back, still busy with his computer. _Really, Joe? At a time like this? Really? _"You forget that from Alpar Nok we went straight to Seth's hands before ending up here, in this game. But even during our time here we never fought with a dragon. What about you, Dana?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Dana answered snarky, "I had never fought as much as I had until now. I wasn't exactly raised to fight, unlike you guys."

"I highly doubt that," I muttered to myself. We were all raised to fight, after all. We were Alparians. Alien Hunters. Even though Dana's powers were obviously for support, she was a born fighter like the rest of us. Of course, telling her that—arguing with her about that—wasn't the smartest thing to do.

The dragon roared again before it began ripping pillars apart with its arms, feet, tail, and wings. When it grew frustrated at not having found its prey—which, if you weren't paying attention, was us—it began exhaling streams of fire. So, we not only had fragments of the pillars and the walls raining down on us, but the room was turning into an oven, fire was blazing on every, single flammable object in the room—excluding us and the dragon.

But, even as the room was being ripped apart, Joe was still on his computer.

"Seriously, Joe! Stop playing with that thing and help us come up with some dragon exterminating tactic!" I couldn't help shouting at my friend.

"That's exactly what I'm doing," Joe was calm, albeit sweating heavily, "I'm looking at the archives for some clue as to what its weaknesses are...or if there are any."

I shook my head. We didn't have time. It was either the dragon was going to find us first or the whole room would collapse while burning us alive.

I turned at Dana, "Now would be a good time for you to take us out of this game, Dana."

Dana scowled but tried to do just that. Unfortunately, all she managed to do was light up. Which was a bad thing since the dragon noticed her. I didn't have to tell Dana that she was in trouble though, and she didn't wait for the dragon to actually take a step towards her. Instead she turned around and bolted, looking for another safe place to hide. The thing was, there wasn't any place left to hide. The pillar I was using as a hiding place could only fit one person and the nook in the wall where Joe was wasn't really an option.

What I did next was something that most people would consider really, _really_ stupid. But, I was hoping that some would view it as bravery instead of stupidity. And by "some", I was thinking more about Dana.

Anyways, seeing Dana being the center of a fire-breathing, man-eating dragon's attention made me forget that my powers weren't totally back. That they were limited. And so, I did what I usually did when faced with an opponent much larger than myself: I tried transforming into something equally bigger and stronger. I didn't really know what got into me, but maybe seeing a dragon made me think about the 4 mythical beasts in eastern folklore. And I transformed to what I remembered was the eastern dragon's most heated rival: a phoenix.

Or maybe I should say I _tried_ transforming into one.

Tried and epically failed, might I add.

Because I didn't turn into a huge, majestic, mythical bird that rises from the ashes, I turned into miniature version of it—one that held no mythical powers, and whom the dragon could easily just breath fire on to turn into some roasted chicken. And—here's the more problematic, and somewhat embarrassing, part—I couldn't turn back to my original form!

Albeit I did manage to do what I intended to do, which was get the dragon's attention off of Dana. That part worked splendidly as the dragon turned to look at me like I had somehow aggravated it, like I really was a rival of mythical proportions—which made me think of how real and true some of the legends in human mythology are.

But, of course, when a larger-than-life dragon suddenly goes after you and you're nothing but a crimson-colored bird with a three-foot wingspan, those thoughts are completely irrelevant and are immediately replaced by something more pressing. Like: Fly out of there!

Which I did. Evading the dragon's fiery breath as it tried to make fried chicken out of me. Below me I could hear Dana shouting my name in worry and Joe encouraging me to "Keep making the dragon busy!" like I have any other choice beside that. So I flew and flew, ducking, swerving, bomb-diving my way out of the dragon's every attack, growing tired but remaining determined to keep the dragon away from my friends.

I couldn't really remember how long I acted as a decoy. Time was different when you're not really yourself. But being a mythical bird felt like a lifetime before I heard Joe call my name.

My bird's eyes easily caught sight of him standing near Dana. Willy and Emma were somewhere much farther away, Willy nursing a completely zonked-out Emma but both of them are generally out of harm's way—which was a good thing. I knew that I didn't have to worry about them as much as I was worrying about Dana and Joe, whose voice was enough to even catch the attention of the dragon. I swooped down towards them just as the dragon tried to head-butt me but ended up head-butting a wall instead, its large head momentarily stuck, which would have been funny if we weren't in such a predicament.

I landed—gracefully, I might add—on a boulder in-front of Joe and Dana.

"I figured out something about Vulcan dragons," Joe said, you can see the pride in his voice for his accomplishment.

"What is it?" I asked, which ended up just sounding like a high-pitched squawk for them.

Dana and Joe both looked at me like I was wasting their time.

"You can transform back to your original self now, Daniel," Dana sounded like she was talking to a five-year-old rather than to me.

"I obviously would have done that already if I could, but I can't," I retorted which, like before, just came out in bird-speak. So, I just shook my head and extended my wings, as the dragon tried to pull its head out of the wall and hoped that they would understand.

Luckily they did, if Dana's sigh was any indication of it.

"Next time, try not using your powers on yourself unless you're sure that you're going to be able to turn back," Yep, Dana understood.

"I'll keep that in mind, but I do hope that next time I won't have to worry about that. It's not like this is the first time I transformed myself," Another squawk was my answer. Then I turned towards Joe and asked, "So, what is it?"

Joe shook his head, but answered my question. Whether he actually understood what I said or was guessing or simply telling me what he found because we were running out of time, well, I have to ask him about that later when I get my own body back.

"Vulcan dragons had handlers—people who can control them and give them directions. They're not as mindless as some might think, Daniel," Joe said. I nodded and he went on, "These handlers are all female. And, get this, they look exactly like humans. That is to say, we and the Vulcans have much in common. But, when the dragons became aggressive towards humans, these handlers lost control of them and were ultimately eradicated by their own, shall we say, 'partners'."

"I don't see the point of you telling me their history, Joe," I said, and I looked over at Dana wondering if she heard anything of importance to what Joe had just said.

"He's wondering what the point of that was," Dana told Joe, which surprised me.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was surprised, though. Because the moment I asked, "You can understand what I'm saying?", Joe asked the same question.

"Kind of. I'm not really sure why or how. It's strange but I feel as though my mind is somewhat connected with his right now," Dana answered.

"That's unbelievable, and kind of freaky," Joe said before going back on topic as the dragon roared in frustration, still stuck to the wall. _Idiot_. "Anyways, I already told Dana about this, Daniel. There's something else about the Vulcan handlers—something that made them that way, made them capable of controlling such creatures. They have great psychic abilities."

"Okay..."

Another sigh from Dana, "What Joe is trying to say is that _I_ can try controlling the dragon. At least, try to tell it not to attack us. Because, let's face it, there's no way we'll be able to force our way through it. None of us is strong enough to beat something like that."

I looked at both Dana and Joe like they were crazy, and I told them the same thing, too although Dana was the only one who understood what I said. "There's no way I'm letting you face that thing on your own!"

"We didn't call you over to have a vote about this, Daniel. And, I told you before, I'm not helpless. I can handle something like this...probably." Dana argued.

"'Probably' isn't good enough! What if you get hurt? I won't be able to help you like this," I gestured at my bird-self.

"This isn't up for negotiations. Which is why," she then grabbed me in a way that made sure I wasn't going to be able to fly. Then handed me to Joe who was ready to tie my wings up. "you're going to be sitting this one out, Alien Hunter."

Mythical bird creature or not, I was no match against an Alparian who was in his human form, even if said Alparian was Joe. And so, as much as I struggled, the only thing I could do was watch as Dana walked towards the dragon, shouting at her, telling her to come back and then telling—no, asking—Joe to call her back and to find something else we could use in that computer of his. But neither of them listened and I couldn't hate anything more than my current transformation and the stupidity that caused me forget about the hitch with my powers.

Dana was almost at the foot of the gigantic dragon when the dragon finally got its head out of the wall. A roar—a furious one—escaped its mouth along with a burst of flame, its wings extending so much that it busted the two walls on either side of it. But, even as it stood ferociously in-front of her, doing those things, Dana didn't even flinch.

The dragon then went silent, and for a moment it did nothing but stared down at Dana. Dana stared up at it as well, not backing down from the challenge and, probably, doing some psychic mind-bending thing on the dragon. I watched, and so did Joe, with bated breath.

Seconds ticked by and it looked as though the dragon was under Dana's command; that, for once, luck was on our side and whatever Dana was doing was working. But, then, a shadow flashed on the dragon's face and it roared and all thoughts about being lucky vanished from my mind as it raised its hand in the air, ready to pound on Dana.

The blow came swiftly that Dana, in her effort to concentrate on controlling the dragon, would not have enough time to evade. I shouted her name, a shout that no one but her and I would have interpreted as anything more than simply a squawk. Dust erupted around the perimeter where the dragon's scaly knuckles hit, making it hard for any of us to see what had become of our friend. One thing I was sure of, though, I was going to go there and I wasn't going to let Joe held me prisoner, especially not when Dana was concerned.

And so I did what an Alien Hunter in bird-form could do: I pecked on Joe's hand, and I pecked him hard and savagely. So much so that he had no choice but to let go of me. And, with strength that I didn't know the bird-form I took possessed, I managed to break free of the restraints that had kept me from following Dana before. And then I flew. Hard.

"Dana!" I called as I circled above the dragon's knuckles, clawing with my talons and digging with it as deep as it would go so that the dragon would raise its knuckle. I kept pecking, clawing, and generally just making the dragon more annoyed when it finally went overboard and, with its other paw, or hand, or whatever you want to call it, the dragon finally swatted me away, sending me three-sixtying more than once flying backwards.

A wall—one of the remaining walls in the room—was about to meet me and I was preparing for impact when I suddenly stopped. Just like that. Without ceremony.

"Seriously," came a voice, followed by a cough as the dust settled and I saw Dana standing with one arm raised above her head while the other hand, with its palms up, was directed at me. A force-field enveloped her. One that you wouldn't have noticed if there wasn't any dust around. "why couldn't you just stay put, Daniel?"

"Dana!" I immediately flew towards her. Surprisingly, I didn't hit the barrier. She was letting me in, I suppose. I landed on her shoulders. I was that small a bird. "I thought...I thought he got you! I thought I lost you again!"

Dana looked at me with a look that was asking if I was seriously perching on her shoulders. When I didn't fly away, she sort of gave up with the look and instead turned her attention back at our foe.

"I thought I was going to die, too," she admitted. "But then I found myself creating this barrier."

"You do realize now that what you planned to do was suicide, right?" I asked, even though I knew that that wasn't the right moment to berate her like that.

"Not as much as trying to go up against something as huge as this dragon as a little, red bird," she retorted, "That's even more of a suicide than what I planned to do. That was really stupid, Daniel."

"No, it's not." I argued. "It may be crazy, but it's definitely not stupid. Going to make sure that the person you most care about—the person you love—is alright is _not _stupid. Which is why, as crazy as it sounds, I'm going to help you with this. I won't let you do whatever psychic-thing you have to do with this dragon by yourself. And there's nothing you can say or do that would stop me. It's high time you see just how hard-headed Daniel X can be when he wants to be, Dana."

Dana was silent for a while as the dragon roared again and began pounding on our defenses seeing that neither Dana**—**nor I**—**were dead.

"Fine," Dana finally gave in, "Just don't get in my way. Don't make me regret this."

I spread my wings and flew, before I said, "Never."

And I meant it. I wasn't going to let Dana down. Besides, I wasn't worried that she might not be able to do it. I trust her and what her powers could do, even though I didn't really understood her powers. I was worried about her safety.

What happened next was something that none of us expected. Really, it was. It was also, perhaps, the most anti-climactic things ever. One moment the dragon was there, furiously setting the room aflame and pounding the life out of Dana's barrier, and the next, it was gone. Just like that. As if someone just pressed the delete or erase button. If the room wasn't as trashed as it was, I would have thought that we all hallucinated. Heck, even I fell back down to the ground with a crash and I was back to my old self. As if I didn't transform into a bird and was flying only seconds ago. If it weren't for the debris, the flames, the charred remains of the room, I would have really thought of the possibility of a hallucination.

I groaned as I picked myself off of the ground and walked towards Dana.

"I don't suppose you were the one who did that, did you?" I asked as soon as I was beside her.

"No. I can't do something like that. Besides, I wasn't thinking about eradicating it. I was thinking about making it weaker."

"Then—"

But even before I could finish what I was about to speak, Void's voice boomed in the room.

"Well done, Alien Hunters. I must say, I'm impressed." he said. Even though it was sort of a praise, you can hear the mockery in his voice. "Who would have thought that you would be able to decipher what the dragon wanted to see. Bravo! I must say, Dana, you have grown a lot."

"Void," I growled his name.

"Oh, relax, Daniel X. You're almost at the finish line," Cooed Void. "You'll get your round with me soon enough. Although we can clearly see how that will go, especially if you can't even control your transformations. Oh, boy...this is going to be _so _much fun!"

And just like that, Void's voice faded out.

"That was a bit less unpleasant," Joe said as he scrambled towards us, Willy close behind still carrying an unconscious Emma on his back. "All he did was gloat. Still, what the heck happened. Where did that dragon go?"

"Void happened, that's what," I answered without thinking. "It's now obvious that he was just playing with us."

"But, what about that deciphering what the dragon wanted to see thing?" Dana asked, sounding tired and looking tired as well, as if she was just about ready to collapse.

"Who cares?" Was my answer. "We can think about that later, once we find some place to rest. As much as we need to hurry up, we can't just keep walking onwards. You look dead tired, Dana."

"I can say the same thing about you," was her choice for a comeback. "But, you're right. We should rest. If what Void says is true, we're going to be meeting him soon enough."

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

****I didn't really expect not to receive any reviews for the past couple of days since I started updating/publishing the chapters daily, but yeah...hope you guys tell me what you think of the chapters.

Until the next update (tomorrow), Ciao!


	35. Chapter 32

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

****This is just a short update. A 1,600 or so short update. Sort of like the '_dun, dun, dun, dun..._' music you hear on shark movies just before the shark begins chomping down unsuspecting casts of the movie and before blood begins to color the blue waters. But, this is one important chapter. So, yeah...

Hope you guys enjoy reading. Only 5 more chapters to go (including the epilogue but excluding the 'special' chapters).

Enjoy! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

* * *

We found the perfect place to rest, which was the foot of the staircase leading to the third floor of the castle. And, as soon as we found it, we went to our own little nooks to rest. Believing that he had not done his part in the battle with the Vulcan dragon, Willy volunteered to take watch as we all took our nap. None of us bothered to take that responsibility from him. We were _that _tired.

As soon as I let my head rest on one of the posts of the staircase, I immediately fell asleep and blacked out.

The next thing I knew, I was awake. Not as refreshed or as well-rested as I would've liked, but it was close enough and I couldn't go back to sleep. I was so wired up, and even more so when I took a glance at the stairs beside me. Finally, I just gave up on resting and walked towards Willy to relieve him of his watch.

"I'm fine," Willy replied. "I don't need to take a rest."

"Yes you do, and I won't take 'no' for an answer." I argued. "Just get some rest, Willy."

After a while, Willy caved-in. Seconds after he made his way beside his sister, he was asleep and I was the only one left awake.

I looked around the ruined ballroom. Parts of the walls were filled with holes from the dragon's rampage and it allowed me a look at the outside of the castle. It was dark, though I didn't trust that as any indication of the time we had spent inside the castle. For all I know, Void had changed the weather and the time to match with the mood of this final level of his.

I also caught a glance of streaks of light dancing its way to the top of the castle, like an Aurelia borealis that flickered in and out of existence. I squinted my eyes to take a better look. I knew what it was, or could guess at least. It was the visible threads of energy—life energy—that Void was sucking out of the players of the game, visible in the darkness of the night sky. They appeared from every, single direction and I could almost picture the bewilderment in the players faces as they wondered what was happening to them, questioning why they were getting weak all of a sudden. Maybe even finding themselves at the mercy of an enemy they could easily defeat before.

It was not a good thing to imagine or even think of. It wasn't pretty.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a whimper. I perked my ears when I heard it again and was able to quickly determine where it was coming from. Leaving the place where I had sat, I quickly made my way to Dana who was lying in a fetal position. The whimpers emanating from her.

She looked as though she was having a nightmare, like she wanted to wake up but couldn't. And so, I shook her awake. It took a while but eventually she did wake up and the look on her face wasn't one of annoyance but of relief.

"Dana, are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded as she sat up, "Yes. Thank you for waking me up..."

"Nightmare?" I had to ask as I sat down next to her, making sure that I wouldn't end up waking the others up.

She nodded and hugged her knees tightly to her chest. "But, it was more than just a nightmare, I think. It might be a fragment of my memory. It sort of matches with what Emma had told me about our time in Ergent Seth's ship...and even a little bit of how I started under Void's wing."

I kept silent. And I was rewarded when she went on speaking, "I kept on waiting for you to show up and rescue us. I kept holding on to the belief that when you find out what Seth did to us and what Void was doing, you would leave everything behind to come after us."

"But I didn't..."

"But you didn't," the words were barely a whisper from her mouth. And, coming from her, it stung much more than it would have if she wasn't the one telling me that. "And, when I was forced to watch as you finally defeated Seth, I thought that you would definitely be coming for us next. But then I saw you with _them _and I knew that you won't be coming for us. I knew you'd replaced us."

"Them?" I asked, wondering who it was that she saw. "Who are you talking about Dana? How could you even think that I would replace you guys?"

"That's the funny thing. You didn't replace is with just anybody. You replaced us with _us_." She said, but the look that she gave me was anything but one that says it was funny.

And that was when I understood. She had seen me with the _drang_ that I had made from my memory and my imagination. The _drang_ that was born from my desire to have friends who can help me. The _drang_ born from my powers. What's more, it clicked into place—the reason why Dana hated me.

"That's it, isn't it?" I asked, to confirm what I had just learned. "Even when Void managed to seal off your memories, you managed to retain the feeling you felt when you saw me with them. You were angry at me because you thought I forgot you guys, that I wasn't going to come and save you...that I had replaced you with clones of yourselves."

A nod was the answer she gave me. "It's a stupid reason to hate you, isn't it? A stupid reason to want to hurt you."

"I wish I could say that it's not but, if I look at it in a different point of view, I could see why you would want to get back on me." I answered, my eyes trailing to the lying figures of the rest of our _drang._ "You have to understand something, though. I didn't know you guys were still alive. Blaleen told me that when Ergent Seth attacked and the academy fell into rubbles, they couldn't find your bodies. Everyone in Alpar Nok assumed you were all dead. It's true that I may have forgotten you guys really existed for a while, but when I learned that you guys were real and that you guys were dead, I was heartbroken. You have no idea how much I wished I could turn back time and save you guys. If I had known that you were still alive and were being held captive, I would have searched the whole galaxy and back looking for you and the others...and I would have made certain that everyone who dared hurt you paid for it, just like how Seth paid for his crimes. But I didn't know, and I'm sorry."

"I know that now and it scares me what would have happened if I had succeeded in what Void had wanted me to do**—**if I had killed you and then remembered everything that I forgot." She buried her face on her arms.

"But you didn't. You broke free from that. You made your choice not to kill me and you are getting your memories back." I moved closer to her. I wanted so much to hold her in my arms but I didn't think she was ready for that. It was too early and she was distraught. I figured I shouldn't take advantage of that. "You, Willy, Emma and Joe, real and alive and fighting beside me. That's all that matters, Dana."

There was nothing else to say after that, and so we sat in silence until finally everyone stirred awake and it was time to make our way to the third floor of the castle and to Void. Whatever there was left to say, it could wait until we were out of the mess we had found ourselves in.

* * *

There was a kind of silence that enveloped us. The kind that you would only hear when soldiers march off towards a war that they aren't sure if they could win. The kind where warriors knew that the foe they would be facing is a strong one where victory was questionable. It was a somber kind of silence, one that even if you would want to break, you couldn't.

Every step we took was a step to the inevitable. Every step it took was a step mixed with nerves, hope, fear, courage, and the desire for freedom. Every step was a step towards the final battle. So, when we finally got to the top landing and found ourselves facing an ornate, golden, double doors, Willy was almost about ready to let out a howl and blast through it. You could see his trigger finger twitching.

"Well, this is it, guys," I breathed out the words.

"Let's get this over with," Willy sounded impatient.

I grinned, "Shall we?"

They all nodded.

"Right." I nodded as well, "Here we go."

It didn't matter if the doors were made of real gold or not. Under my hands it groaned and opened up for the final battle to begin.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	36. Chapter 33

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

* * *

"Finally," Void's voice welcomed us as we step into the throne room. He was clapping his hands in a lazy way and each clap seemed louder than the first that you would have thought a drum was beating rather than someone was clapping. "I was wondering if any of you would be coming."

"Oh, we wouldn't miss this for anything," Willy said, and before I knew it, he had fired one of his big guns at Void.

The rocket that fired off of Willy's weapon hit its mark. When the dust cleared, there was only a large crater where Void once stood.

"Really, you should learn to have patience, Willy," Void laughed as he materialized a couple of meters to the left of the crater.

"How's this for patience!" Shouted Emma, as she too jumped the gun and rows of large, pointy rocks suddenly flew towards Void.

Void raised his hand and the rocks that were being hurled towards him stopped in mid-air. Joe didn't waste any time as he disappeared and reappeared behind Void, his arms thrown back and I knew that he had went from this stage to the Slums and back again. He threw a punch at Void, but Void grabbed Joe's arm and threw him towards the direction of Willy, who was getting ready to fire again.

The two of them tumbled to the ground as Void laughed at them. Dana, at that moment, chose not to sit around and watch as she also let loose her own brand of attacks, which were projectiles made of psychic energy so condensed that you could actually see it as shimmering, purple balls. She threw it at Void and I took that as a sign that there wasn't going to be any verbal plays or monologues this time around. With that in mind I summoned my trusty Opus 50/50 and busied myself with firing at Void, making sure that he would be so distracted so as not to see what Dana had conjured for him.

But that didn't work. Void showed us how fast he can be—which was faster than all of us combined. One moment he was just standing there, amused at how tangled up Willy and Joe were and the next he was right behind me. Before I knew it, he had thrown me to where he was standing before and instead of Dana's psychic projectiles hitting Void, they hit me instead, throwing me back.

It hurt. A lot. And I landed as a heap on the floor. For a moment, I couldn't move my body. It felt numb, especially around my chest where the projectiles had hit me square on.

"Daniel!" I heard Dana scream my name followed by her footsteps as she rushed towards me, helping me up.

"I'm okay," I coughed, even though I was far from okay.

"Really? Is that all you Alparian Alien Hunters can do?" Void asked, sounding disappointed. "I was expecting a little more than that." He turned towards Willy and Emma, "Don't you two want to see your parents again?" then to Joe, "Don't you want to be free and see the galaxy as it is now?" then Dana, "Don't you want to regain all of your memories?" and then to me, "And don't you want to get to the bottom of all of this? The secret that your parents have kept from you? The secret that only I can shed light on?"

"Oh yeah, we want that," Joe said as he finally untangled himself from Willy and stood up.

"And we are so gonna wipe the floor with you. Take off that stupid grin on your face," Willy added.

"You Alparians are all talk," Void said and with a flick of a mere finger, he had us all flying on opposite sides of the room and crashing into the walls. Between having just been thrown into Dana's attack and crashing into another wall, I was already sore all over.

Another groan escaped my lips as I forced myself back up. The Opus was long gone from my hands, so I had to create another weapon. My mind fumbled for something that would fire bullets swiftly and devastatingly, and the image of the mysterious weapon I had used flickered in my mind. I shook the thought away. I had made a promise not to use it. And so I chose to create twin laser guns instead. It might not be as powerful as an Opus but its bullets flew faster and it didn't have any charge times.

I fired in rapid successions at Void, not staying rooted in one place, running around making sure that he wouldn't catch me with any of his attack. Void blocked all of the laser bullets, save for one which was fired after I accidentally tripped. The laser grazed him at the cheek and you can tell he wasn't happy with that.

He was about to flick his fingers again when he got hit by a pillar at the back of his head and he was the one sent flying for a couple of feet before he righted himself. When I looked at the pillar that had done him some damage, I saw Emma and Dana standing behind it. Both of them had their arms forward with palms wide open and I knew that the pillar wasn't one from the castle, it was something Emma had molded with her powers and that Dana had used her psychic powers to use it as a bat.

I nodded at them, sending my thanks and they nodded back.

"Impressive," roared Void, "Now that's more I like it!"

He then clapped his hands. A clap that was louder than any other. And then, suddenly, these strange-looking, luminescent, transparent, giant, cockroach-looking things appeared, surrounding Void.

"Those are data bugs!" Joe informed us, and then he quickly began typing on his Symbiote. The next thing we knew there were jellyfish-looking things that were just as luminous and transparent as the cockroaches surrounding Void around us. "Leave those things to me."

Void looked as though he wasn't expecting that. He looked as though he was ready to tear Joe apart, limb by limb.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" I asked, inching my way closer to Joe while avoiding those flying jellyfish things he had summoned.

"Don't worry about techno-geek here," Willy said, cocking the gun in his hands, ready to fire it at will. "I'll make sure nothing happens to him."

"Yeah, macho-man has my back," Joe nodded, "You three focus on Void and we'll focus on the data bugs."

"Right." I nodded. There was nothing left to say after that as I turned my attention back at Void.

And then, the battle resumed. It was Void against me, Emma, and Dana and Joe and Willy against the data bugs. I quite honestly thought that Joe and Willy had the better end of the bargain. The data bugs were no matched for them and the jellyfish things. The three of us, on the other hand, had our hands full with Void.

* * *

"Now would really be a good time to use that power of yours, Dana," I said as I panted, several minutes later, and we stood behind the thick wall Emma had made as Void began firing powerful rounds of plasma at us. "A little boost in our power would really help right about now."

"I wish," she was frustrated. "But, Void's still making me unable to use them."

"We can't keep fighting like this Daniel," Even Emma was out of breath already, and the walls she was putting up one after another were starting to get flimsy. "We have to defeat him, and defeat him soon."

"I know," she really didn't need to tell me that.

I looked over at Joe and Willy and even they looked like they could use a break. The data bugs had been pretty relentless. Kill one off and two appear in its place. Sort of like a Hydra.

I kept on thinking, trying to come up with a way to defeat him. But, how do you defeat someone who has complete control of the place? Someone who can create things at will? Someone...like me, only with a bigger ego?

"Hey, I got a question for you both," I started. "What would you guys say my biggest weakness is?"

In a heartbeat, Emma answered, "Dana."

While Dana answered, "Your loyalty?"

I blushed and coughed at what Emma said and Dana looked at her as if she was crazy.

"What?" Emma looked at Dana and me, "It's the truth."

"That...really doesn't help us in our current predicament, guys," I said just as Dana was about to open her mouth to say something to Emma—who knows what that is. "I was thinking more on something I can use against Void. He is...like me."

"Void isn't anything like you, Daniel," Dana was quick to my defense. Emma agreed with her. "You two have _nothing _in common."

"We _do_ have the same powers," I said, "It's kind of impossible to miss."

"Okay, so apart from that you two are like two completely opposite sides of a coin," Emma said. "To think that both you and Void could possibly have anything else in common is preposterous."

"I was only asking about a weakness we could use with regards to his powers," I said defensively, even though as I said it I began to wonder. Were we really all that different?

If I really think about it, if I really put into perspective what would have happened if The Prayer found me out when I clung into him, if he had decided not to destroy me but to raise me to be the exact opposite of who I was now, would I really be all that different from Void? Because, if I follow that train of thought, the only thing that makes us different were our circumstances. I was certain that whatever had made him that way, could have happened to me. What if something happens that makes me forget about all that I stood for? What if everything I stood for was suddenly ripped away from me? Would I turn into something reminiscent to the enemy that stood before me?

"I grow tired of this!" Void's voice snapped me from my thoughts. And then there was the sound of his fingers snapping and then a shout from Joe and Willy.

The sound of her brother's voice was enough for Emma to put down the wall. What we saw then was Joe and Willy's head being gripped by Void's hands. Both of them were flailing, so much that Willy managed to elbow Void. It didn't do anything but I did manage to catch a glimpse of something like a green jewel hanging on a necklace around his neck.

"Willy!" Emma shouted as she tried to run towards her brother.

"Don't!" Willy shouted, which made Emma stop on her tracks.

"Finally, you emerge from that cocoon." Void said. "I should have known that the sound of your friends struggling would be enough to draw you three out."

"What do you want, Void?" I shouted the question. It really seemed like too much effort in his part if all he really wanted to do was destroy Daniel X.

Void laughed, "I thought it had been obvious from the get-go. I want to destroy you, Daniel X. Completely and utterly destroy you."

"That's not it!" I was only bluffing but suddenly I wasn't bluffing at all. Somehow, my words felt true. "You had so much time, so many chances to do just that. Why wait until we're here?"

"Ah, always trying to find the reason behind everything," Void said. Then, without ceremony, he squeezed Willy and Joe's head that they screamed. Seconds later, they were gone. Like they had been sucked out of existence.

"No!" Emma shouted.

The shock was enough to blind her as she rushed towards Void, using all her powers to try and attack him. But Void beat her to it. And, within seconds only Dana and I were left. Emma, Willy, and Joe were gone. It was so fast that all we could do was stand there, mouths agape and eyes wide open.

_Did that...just happen?_

"No...way..." I gulped. My mind was blank other for that thought.

Dana slumped on the ground beside me. Even she was speechless at what had just happened.

Void, however, was not.

"Three down, one to go." And he set his sights on Dana.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	37. Chapter 34

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

****So this would be the final Tuesday Daniel X: Game Over update as we only have less than a week left. I will warn you that, although this chapter only has 3,390 words or so, it is jam-packed with a lot of stuff that would answer your questions, along with a little revelation.

Hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to review! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer: **

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over **

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

* * *

"Three down, one to go."

The look Void gave Dana pushed me to snap out of it. I was shaking. Out of anger? Frustration? Or maybe because I genuinely felt fear? I don't really know. Maybe all of them, maybe none of them. But I was shaking as I stood in-front of Dana. I was going to do everything in my power to make sure that Void doesn't take her away from me. That he doesn't erase her just like how he did with Willy, Joe, and Emma.

"Over my dead body," I growled, gritting my teeth. If looks could kill, the look I was giving Void would have done its job.

In a flash, Void was right in-front of me. His hand around my neck, squeezing the breath out of me as he lifted me up.

I struggled to break free of his hold. But it was no use. He was just too strong and I was weakening.

Moving his face closer to me so that I could almost smell his breath, he hissed, "That's one of the worst possible things you could say, especially to someone who _does_ want you dead. It's too...inviting."

Black spots had begun dancing in my field of vision when Dana finally realized what was happening. Using her most powerful psychic shove, she pushed Void away. The surprise caused by her sudden attack was enough to allow me to pry open Void's fingers and break free of his hold.

I fell to the ground, coughing and taking in as much oxygen as I could, as Void was flung to the opposite side of the already-ruined-room.

"Daniel, are you okay?" Dana's voice was shaky and so were here hands as she helped me back on my feet, supporting me as I stood up.

I nodded.

"The others...are they?" She choked up on her question.

I shook my head, my voice was faltering as I answered, "I...don't know. But I won't let him take you away from me again. No matter what. I will not risk losing you. Not again, Dana."

I was expecting her to brush me off, but instead she nodded and said, "And I won't let him take you away from me, too. We'll fight him. Together."

I looked at her and even though there was fear in her eyes as well as uncertainty, there was also trust. Something I hadn't seen in her eyes since we first crossed paths, even when she had said she trusted me, it was only then that I actually saw the trust in her eyes.

And, despite what we were facing, I still managed to smile as I nodded, "Together."

She smiled back, and for a moment it felt like everything was alright. And then her smile vanished and she became serious. "Did you saw it, too?"

"The necklace?" I asked, remembering that quick second when Willy had showed his final bout of resistance against Void.

Another nod. "What do you suppose that is? Void looked really pissed off that Willy almost brushed his elbow at his necklace."

"I don't really care what it is, if Void's worried about damaging the thing, that's more than enough reason for me to destroy it," I grinned at her. "I'm not usually like this but..."

"Payback's a bitch?" Dana guessed and I couldn't have said it any better than that.

We really didn't have a plan, and so we just agreed to do whatever it takes, take any and every opportunity to destroy the necklace. I know it sounds like a petty payback but for someone like Void, who didn't seem to care about anything and showed something reminiscent to worry when Willy almost ripped the necklace out of Void's neck, you can probably see why it seems like a big deal to us.

Our chance came when Dana was running from the barrage of plasma projectiles that Void was throwing at her. It made me crazy, lying in wait and simply watching while she placed herself in harm's way. I wanted to run over to her, to help her, but the words she had said to me before we went ahead with her crazy idea haunted me.

"Do you trust me?" She had asked as I was in the middle of enumerating a list of reasons why she shouldn't be the decoy.

I was stunned by her question that came out of the blue, "O-of course. I've told you the answer to that question already."

"Then trust me with this," she had said, "trust in me and my ability. Let me do this. I know I can."

Suffice to say that I gave in to her demands. And so, as she was ducking and dodging Void's attack, I was also keeping Void busy by creating as many distractions for him as I could while lying in wait for an opening, the Opus charged and ready to fire at his necklace once given the chance. And, like I've said, our chance did come when one of Void's plasma nicked Dana on her thigh and she stumbled to the ground.

Like we had anticipated, Void immediately swooped in and grabbed her by the head, raising her up the same way he had done with Willy and Joe. It was then that, despite the pain that Void was causing her, Dana managed to grabbed Void's necklace and yank it off of his neck. Without a second thought, and without even looking at my direction, she threw it as high as she could.

Void, who was surprised at what Dana did and who really seemed to care for the necklace more than anything, dropped Dana to the ground took a flying leap towards the necklace. But I was ready and I was way ahead of him, firing the Opus at the necklace and destroying the green jewel. Turning it into nothing more than finely-ground, green dust before quickly running towards Dana's side. It was my turn to help her up and steady her on her feet.

"You okay?" I whispered to her.

"I am," Dana answered then motioned me to look at Void, "But he looks like he isn't."

Sure enough, Void looked as though he was having a seizure. His whole body was slowly turning white, like alabaster stone and he was shaking furiously. His eyes rolled back and I was even half-expecting foam to come out of his mouth. It didn't, though.

As if that wasn't enough, the whole throne room was shaking as if an earthquake just hit and Dana and I had to hold on to each other, balancing each other out, just so we wouldn't fall flat on our butts. When the earthquake stopped, so did Void's seizure and his transformation into stone. Because that seemed like what had happened.

We stared, unable to comprehend anything for a couple of seconds until Dana finally asked the question that was also in my mind: "Did we do it?"

But, before I could answer; before I could even think about anything positively good, the statue that was Void began to crack. A strange light began to break free from those cracks followed by a powerful whirlwind that seemed to encircle the statue.

"What now?" I couldn't help groaning.

And that was when the stone exploded, raining dust and bits and pieces of said statue over us. And there, standing where the statue of Void had stood, was someone I didn't think I would see right that moment.

His blue-grey eyes stared at me. His blond hair, which was slightly longer than mine but with the same blond color, swayed with the force that seemto come from him. He looked older, but both Dana and I could tell who he was. How could we not?

We were staring at myself.

A slightly older me, but me nonetheless.

"What the hell...?" I trailed off.

"Impressive," Void said, even our voice was similar, although his was a little deeper. "Even though finding the necklace and destroying it was clearly a fluke, it seems you have found a way to even out the odds."

"Daniel?" Dana asked, though she wasn't looking at me, she was looking at Void.

Void looked at her and laughed, "No one has called me that in ages. I bet you are both surprised. Who would have thought that you would be fighting against me?"

"This has to be some sort of trick," I said, because there was no way there were two of me. "Why don't you show us what you really look like and stop hiding behind someone else's skin, Void?"

"I am showing you my true self," Void replied, there was a glint of madness in his eyes as he spoke. It was eerie, seeing my face have such a look. "This isn't a trick, Daniel. Ironic, isn't it? That the alien outlaws you hunted would call upon the 'you' from another time and space to deal with you?"

"Cut the crap!" I shouted, "If you really are another me, then you wouldn't be working for them!"

"Circumstances of how one is raised can change a person a lot." was his quick retort, "I told you that I will give you answers, and I have given you one of them. If you want to learn more, you would have to beat me. Time's ticking, Alien Hunters. I know you're feeling the effects of having your life force drained, even you Dana. So, let's start from where we left off, shall we?"

And before either Dana or I could react, Void had already begun his attack. He was no longer holding back on us. If he was fast before, he was faster now. It only took a nothing short of a nanosecond for him to separate me from Dana and in that nanosecond; he had managed to turn me into a punching bag before flinging me to another wall. Before I could even think that Dana was safe while I was being pounded on, Void had already created a mixed army or robotic creatures and the undead to deal with her.

Even if I wanted to help her, I had my hands full and so, once again, I had to trust in her and her ability to defend herself and to fight.

_We're Alparians. We're Alien Hunters. She can take care of herself. She's strong. _ That mantra kept repeating on my mind, making me focus on Void and trying to put my guard up. But no matter what I tried to do, he was two steps ahead of me.

"We can read minds, remember?" Void said as he clapped his hands and called forth two Opus 50/50s in both his hands. I quickly did the same to summon a metal dome to protect me, praying that it was thick enough as Void began firing at me, creating dent after dent on the dome. "I know what you're going to do the moment it crosses your mind."

To prove his point, even though I really didn't need to see proof of it, he had more than anticipated that I was going to lower the barrier when his Opus began to lose energy and fire at him with my own Opus. It didn't work, though since the moment I jumped out of the dome, he had already summoned a different weapon and had fired at it. It hit me, square on the shoulder. A cry of pain escaped my lips but I didn't simply stood there, I quickly moved away, using every ounce of speed I could muster.

"Too slow," was what Void told me as he matched me perfectly and gave me a round-house kick that sent me flying once more. I sailed over where Dana and Void's army were fighting before crashing over the pillar. Said pillar collapsed over me and as it did, I saw Dana turn her attention towards me, shouting my name.

Have you ever been buried underneath a pile of rubble? I don't suggest it. It's painful. The rocks are heavy even though the rubble may seem like a heap, and they can cut your skin even without you moving. Not to mention that you would have a hard time breathing underneath it. If you're interested in extreme things, I propose you find something else other than that.

To a human, it would require a lot of people to dig you out of said pile of rubble, but for an Alaprian such as myself, I only needed to use my own strength—or some of what was left of it—as well as Dana's help to rise above the pile.

When I did emerge, my face was full of cuts and bruises—which could also be said for the rest of my body. My clothes were tattered and marred with dust, dirt and grime. And blood was trickling down my forehead, my wounded arm, and the side of my knee. I looked like a wreck.

"Daniel, nothing you do is working," Dana told me as she tried to patch me up by tearing the hem of my shirt and wrapping it around my bleeding arm, all the while making sure that Void would not be able to see us by cloaking us under another one of her psychic abilities.

"I know," I told her, wincing as she tightened the make-do bandage, "It's kind of hard trying to defeat an opponent who doesn't just have the stronger version of your powers but also happens to be an evil version of yourself. He can read what's on our minds, Dana. It wouldn't take long until he reads yours and finds out about this cloak you put on us."

"He may be able to find us but he won't be able to get through the barrier I put up," Dana informed me, "We have time. At least, until we are zapped of our powers completely."

"Not much time then," I murmured, then sighed. "This isn't how I pictured myself going out. I figured it would be more like guns-a-blazing after I dealt with The Prayer.

"This is not the end yet, Daniel!"

But I was starting to feel dazed. I was losing blood, not to mention that Void's technology was eating away my strength. It was a miracle that I could even slightly comprehend what Dana was saying, much less kept myself conscious and awake.

"Daniel? Are you even listening to me?"

I was. Or, at least, I was trying to. But, darkness was pulling me. Slowly but steadily my vision began to blur, my hearing began to deteriorate, and my mind continued down the sluggish path as I was being lulled into the abyss.

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me, man," the voice was familiar, but no matter what I did, I couldn't bring to open my eyes. They felt heavy, much like my whole body. It was as if gravity decided to go against me. I couldn't move any of my limbs. I couldn't even open my mouth to speak. And my mind, my mind wouldn't even want to cooperate with me either. Like it was going along with gravity on a mini-rebellion of sorts.

"Don't talk to him that way," another familiar voice said, scolding the first one who had spoken.

"First you tell me we can't help and now you even want to stop me from saying whatever I want to say?" the first voice retorted.

"We don't have a choice," a third voice joined in. _Why do they all sound familiar?_ "We can't interfere. Only—" there was a static noise, another familiar sound but I couldn't place why it was familiar, "—can help him. Unless—" another static, "—out."

"Why are we even doing this?" the first voice asked even though I had my own question, which was: _What the heck are you all talking about?_

Whatever the answer to that was, I wasn't able to hear it. All I managed to hear was the word "Because" then static, followed by a deafening "BOOM!".

* * *

"Please," was the first word I heard again, amidst the ruckus. My eyes flew open as I realized where I was, what was happening and who had just spoken.

"Dana!" I croaked.

Dana was mere inches away from my face. She looked pale, sweat trailed down her face mixing along with the dust and dirt that was already there. Her eyes were troubled but when she saw that I was awake, they shined and the tension eased from her body and was replaced by relief. And the smile...the smile she gave me was bright. That was, before she collapsed and I managed to catch her in my arms.

"Dana?"

"You're finally awake..." she sounded weak, struggling to get the words out. "He can't see us but he knows where we are. He's been trying to break my defenses for a while now, I just couldn't let him until you've rested enough to fight again."

"Who—? What are you talking about?" My mind felt sluggish, like I had just woken up after a long hour of sleep...which I probably had.

"Void," it was that one name; that one answer that made me remember what had happened.

My eyes flew open and fear gripped my heart. _How long had I been asleep?_ I was afraid to ask that question.

Dana might have seen the panic, the fear, the worry, and all other negative feelings that came crashing into me because she suddenly placed her hand—which was colder than it had been before—on my cheek, forcing me to look into her.

_No...no, no, no!_

"No, Dana..." I fought back a sob as I noticed how frail she really was now, "Please, don't tell me you—"

"I did what I had to do. The only thing that I _could_ do,_" _every word Dana said was a struggle for her to speak. "You're the only one who can beat him. You _do_ know that, don't you?"

"Don't speak like that. Just, drop the barrier, rest. Don't do anything more," even I was struggling to speak. "I know you said we'd fight him together, and we will, just...after you rest."

She smiled, "We _will _fight him together,"

I could feel that she was quickly losing weight and when I looked at the rest of her body, it wasn't just weight she was losing. She was slowly flickering out of existence...just like what had happened to Emma, Willy, and Joe.

"This is the only thing I could give you now, Daniel,"

_This can't be happening...not again..._

"The last of my power,"

But before I could say anything to her, beg her to stay...to stop what she was going to do that was going to make her disappear, she forced me to look at her again. And then, she did the last thing that I ever thought she would do.

She kissed me. And she didn't stop until I couldn't hear the sound of Void trying to force his way through the barrier, to us. She didn't stop until all I could feel and taste were her lips on mine as we kissed. She didn't stop until all I could hear was the sound of my heart breaking into a thousand pieces as she spoke to me in my mind.

"_I love you...Goodbye._"

And then she was gone from my arms. Not a trace left but the power that she had transferred to me and the emptiness she had left behind. I couldn't see anything but the scattered pieces of my heart on the floor, until Void spoke, belittling the sacrifice that Dana had made for me.

I would find a time to grieve, but now was not the time. Now was the time to fight. And so I stood up, fury and vengeance enveloping me like a whirlwind. Void was going to pay.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

****I have a feeling what most of you are thinking after reading that but I won't know for certain so give me some reviews and tell me what you think!

Until the next chapter! Ciao


	38. Chapter 35

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

* * *

There was nothing on my mind except for the cold fury I felt. Nothing but the thought of ripping the life out of Void entered my mind. Nothing in the world mattered except for that.

It was all I could think of. I suppose that was why I caught Void by surprise the moment that the last vestige of Dana's protection vanished and I sprang into action. I didn't wait to hear him gloat. I didn't wait for him to make the first move, to fire the first strike. I acted and I acted fast.

If I was feeling tired at that moment, I couldn't remember. If I felt my powers were weak compared to his, I was no longer too sure of that. I could feel Dana's gift—her powers—merging with mine, swimming along with the torrent of my own power and emotion. I felt my body move more fluidly, felt each strike that landed on my enemy much stronger than before. My eyes saw every movement that he made even before he made them, and I wasn't even using my mind-reading ability. It was more like I could really anticipate it, like he was moving in slow motion and I was in hyper-speed.

Each strike I doled out to Void was fierce as the image of my friends—my _drang_—entered my mind. Before I knew it I was transforming myself to various animals, aliens, mythical beings, and whatnot as I kept my relentless assault. However, even the thought of my powers returning to normal and maybe even to something more than what it was before, did nothing to make me happy or to comfort me.

After a while, Void got his bearings back and he flung me to the wall but instead of hitting the wall like the dozens of other times he had done so before, I transformed myself to a soccer ball, bounced back, transformed myself to a Rhino and tried to smash him. But he was prepared this time around and he grabbed me by the horn and flung me upwards.

From a Rhino, I turned into Falcon then bomb-dived towards Void. When I was close and diving at a hundred miles per hour, I transformed back to myself, pulled my arms back and gave the hardest punch I could muster. I would have punched Void square in the face and maybe managed to break his neck if he hadn't created a metallic barrier that protected him from my attack. The metal barrier had a large crater-like dent on it but Void came out without a scratch from that attack.

"Tch, you might have escaped that one, Void, but there are a lot more where that came from," my voice was low, but I knew the way I said it had venom as I straightened myself.

Void was standing a few feet away from me. He didn't look as smug as he did before. His clothes weren't as brand-new-looking and his hair wasn't as well-kept as before, they were just as tattered, just as messy as mine.

He wiped the blood that was trickling down his chin before he spoke, "If I knew that this would happen if Dana disappeared, I would have made her disappear before your eyes sooner. I've waited—"

I didn't let him finish as a furious roar escaped my lips and before I knew what I was doing, I had transformed myself into a Tiger and pounced on Void. Void was quicker this time around as he, himself, transformed into a Lion. We clawed, kicked, bit, roared at each other like the wild animals that we had turned ourselves into. We didn't stop even as chunks of flesh were torn from us, even us the whiff of blood became stronger and stronger.

As I fought like a wild beast, like an animal with nothing more than instinct, my mind kept thinking: _You took my _drang_ away from me again! You took Dana away from me again! I will kill you! KILL YOU!_

It was scary losing myself in anger like that. It was scary being blinded by nothing more than hatred and revenge. I had never felt more selfish than I had in that instant when I didn't care about defeating Void for the sole purpose of ensuring that no harm befall the Outer Worlds in the hands of an alien outlaw, but for the self-serving reason of revenge.

But, even in the haze that I had enveloped myself in, a memory slipped by. A memory of what had happened not too long ago...

* * *

"Daniel, I don't know what you're thinking, asking that question," Emma had asked me just a couple of minutes before Willy and Joe had shouted and before they were erased by Void. "But I can guess that you really feel like comparing yourself with him and, instead of finding what makes you two different, all you seem to think is what makes you similar."

"I can help it," I whispered, trying not to alarm Dana but not really sure why I didn't want her to know about my current insecurity. "I don't know why."

Emma looked over at Dana, who was concentrating as she enforced the shield around us, after all, Emma couldn't do it on her own anymore. "It doesn't matter what similarities you both have, even if said similarities are something big. What matters in the end is what sets you apart from him. Your heart. The reason why you are fighting and the reason why he is fighting. You fight to protect. You fight out of love, and loyalty, and for the hope of a brighter future. Whereas he fights to destroy. He fights to take rather than to give. Always remember that, Daniel..."

* * *

"...And no matter what, don't lose that reason to fight," those last words of hers echoed through my mind, over-riding the animalistic and hate-filled urge to destroy Void. Everything that had happened so far in my life suddenly came rushing back and a new kind of understanding dawned upon me.

I jumped back and reverted to my original form. I couldn't even tell if I was winning the fight or not. I was bloody and wounded, just as Void was, too.

_What had I been trying to do? I shouldn't lose myself like that..._

It was like being doused by ice-cold water when you were still groggy from sleep, whether you were doused because of a prank or because you did it to yourself—to take a bath or a shower, I felt that I was awake.

Void then reverted to his original form—the older me, the one that had come from a different time, a different space...whatever that meant.

"Tired already, Alien Hunter?" Void asked, "I thought you said there was more of that ferocity? Were you merely bluffing?"

"No," I said, as I spat the blood from my mouth. "I wasn't. But, I don't want to fight like that. I don't want to lose myself to anger, to be consumed by hatred. I don't want to turn into someone like you."

Void laughed, "You don't want to turn into someone like me? But, don't you see, Daniel? You and I are the same! We are the same person."

"No, we're not."

"What makes you so sure of that? What had you been trying to accomplish all your life, hiding it behind the pretense of protecting humanity? You thought of it yourself! You thought of yourself as an avenger! You fought one alien on the list after another, eliminating one after the next, with the sole intention of coming face to face with The Prayer in order to take revenge for what he did to your family—_our_ family. Guess what, Danny-boy, who you see before you is the result of that! I am what you will become once all of that alien hunting gig is over!"

"You're wrong! Who I will become in the future isn't something that's set in-stone. And I certainly won't become like you now that I know that!" I shouted back. "I know that I've been so caught up with eliminating The Prayer that I forgot a lot of things and that I took some things for granted—and that includes the teachings my parents gave me. And, as much as I hate to admit it, Void, you helped me remember those things. As much as I hate to admit it, you and this stupid game of yours had helped me grow, had helped me see things differently about myself. Things that I am grateful to know now and that I won't be forgetting any time soon."

A look passed over Void's face. A look that I couldn't really describe since it passed by so quickly.

"I kept trying to figure out what your motives were, even as you revealed your true identity. I couldn't see the reason for it until I remembered what had happened to me while I was stuck here. You weren't kidding around with the stages, all of those were life-or-death situations where you made me see how I had taken my powers and the help my friends and my family were giving me for granted. And then you slowly let me regain them, you showed me that I couldn't just go back to who and what I was, I had to work for it." I paused, looking at Void directly in the eye, "That was the real first and second lessons, right?"

He kept silent and his face remained impassive.

"After that, I met Emma, Willy, Joe, and Dana again and you showed me what their powers were—or what their powers could have been. You showed me that I wasn't as special as I thought. That I wasn't the only one with a rare and unique gift. Then you made me face The Prayer. At first I thought you were showing me what courage meant but then I realized that wasn't it. You were showing me how foolish I was, how I thought that just because I was the son of two great and powerful Alien Hunters, I could always get through any situation. That I could beat The Prayer by myself. On both instances you made me see the humility of the situation, you made me depend on my friends. Those were my third and fourth lessons, weren't they? Pride and humility."

Still Void didn't speak, and I wasn't sure if what I was saying rang true anymore. Did I really see through what Void was doing or was I deluding myself?

But I couldn't second-guess myself and stop, and so I pushed forward, taking one step forward as well, "And then, once all four of us were reunited, you threw one obstacle after another to see what we were going to do. What I was going to do. How I was going to react. That was the fifth lesson: team work."

I took another step forward, gaining momentum as my brain continued to piece every thing that had happened together.

"Then Dana came into the picture." I paused, my voice was shaky, "You made her forget, blocked her memories and ordered her to kill me, you wanted me to doubt the bond that the _drang _has, and you did that in order to teach me the sixth lesson—a lesson that, even though I knew and understood, I had to live through and work for: trust. What's more, you showed me a probable scenario: my enemies could use the people I care about—the people I love—against me."

Silence still from Void and another step forward for me.

"And then you showed me that little girl, the seventh lesson: vigilance. Then the eight lesson with the AT and the army of droids, the lesson that taught me that there is courage in retreating to fight another day. For the ninth lesson you used Dana again to teach me about patience."

I had taken two more steps since then and was already facing Void with only an arm's length of distance separating us. Even so, he didn't move to attack, he just listened and watched me carefully.

I took a deep breath.

"And then the tenth lesson," I looked him in the eye again, "you took them away from me again, but not before you let Dana have her moment to teach me one of the most important lessons of all, one that my parents had already taught me before but I was too blinded by something else to see. The tenth lesson: the beauty of sacrifice."

Silence filled us for more than a second and neither of us moved. We just stared at each other. And then Void closed his eyes, bowed his head a little and smiled.

"And what of the eleventh lesson, Daniel? Surely you didn't think that the lesson stopped at ten,"

"Eleventh lesson?" I asked. I honestly didn't know there was an eleventh.

Void nodded and, since the first time that I saw my older self, I didn't see a hint of animosity or bloodlust in him and it kind of threw me off. "It was a lesson that Altrea and Graff—mom and dad—wanted me to teach you. Something that they wanted us to learn before it was too late."

"Wait, what are you saying?"

Void was about to answer my question when an explosion occurred and the door that I had entered through with the rest of my _drang_ before suddenly blew up.

"What the heck?" I blurted out as both Void and I turned towards the direction of the explosion. I looked over at Void, thinking that maybe this was another one of his ideas but he looked just as bewildered and surprised as I was—which was not a good thing. If the creator of this world, the instigator of every, single thing we had found ourselves in in this game, was surprised it clearly meant trouble. Big trouble.

"I have finally found you, Khadagh!" Came a familiar and unexpected voice.

"Khadagh?" I asked, looking over at Void for an explanation.

He nodded, "The name mom and dad gave me when they pulled me out of the future and dragged me back to the past—to your timeline. It means 'Time Traveler' in Alparian."

"I know what it means in our language!" I hissed, then I remembered the note, "Don't tell me...that note...the person who signed it...'K', that was you?"

"Yes and no. That note was a program to try to steer you into realizing how to truly end this game," Void—Khadagh—explained, albeit hurriedly. "And to pose as a warning should you ever meet up with _him_."

And, as if on cue, Undinogh and five of his crew members appeared from the dust that came from the explosion.

"Undinogh?" I couldn't really believe it and I remembered the oath that I had given without thought, and I tensed.

"Yes, Undinogh...the second most powerful alien outlaw on The List—Number Two."

* * *

**To be continued...**


	39. Chapter 36

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary: **

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

* * *

"Wh-what?" I almost screamed that question at Khadagh, "H-how did that happen? You were posing as his second-in-command, you said you were doing all of this to give him and The Prayer and the rest of the outlaws a bit of entertainment! How could he be in this game, too? Or is this some kind of test as well?"

"No," Khadagh shook his head, "this isn't a test and I really don't have time to explain it in detail but when Altrea and Graff dragged me from the future, they not only ended up pulling me from my own timeline but they ended up dragging Number Two—who I was fighting with at that point—along with me. It took a lot of our strength to defeat him but we couldn't kill him, so to make sure that he doesn't cause any havoc and doesn't do anything that may ruin Altrea and Graff's plans, they built The Game and I helped them with it."

"Then...the truth that you were talking about before—?"

Khadagh nodded, "What I told you was the truth, they built this place with me. They built it to serve as a prison for Number Two and the other aliens that found the rip in the time stream and ended up here before they could close it. But, The Game's purpose was not only to serve as a prison for him but also to serve as a training ground for you."

Even though the dust has completely settled, Undinogh looked as though he could see nothing but Khadagh because when he spoke, he didn't even bother to greet me or to ask why I haven't killed Void—Khadagh—yet.

"I have waited a long time for this," Undinogh said, the kind Captain that we had met before was completely replaced by a war-freak. "Who would have thought that a bunch of Alparians would help me get this far?"

Khadagh faced Undinogh, but he spoke to me, "Don't worry about the oath, he told you to kill Void, didn't he? That's the name and the identity—apart from Khadagh, and most certainly apart from Daniel—that he knows me to be. He doesn't know that you and I are the same person."

"Why? And why doesn't he seem to realize that you're not alone?" I asked.

"Like I've said, I haven't used the name Daniel X in a very long time," Khadagh replied. "I took the name 'Void' when I lost the ability to create Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe and I haven't used the name 'Daniel' since." he then shook his head and added, "I know you have a lot of questions, but we really don't have much time. Do you still have the disks you got from the Safe Zones?"

"Joe had them, but—"

"That's good enough," then a box-shaped device appeared, floating before me. "Take this. Study how it was created and then, once you get out of this game, recreate this. You will be able to read the disks with this, and from those disks you will learn everything that I can't tell you right now."

"But I'm telling you, I don't have the disks anymore. Joe had them and he's—!"

But Khadagh was not listening to me, he was facing Undinogh, ready to fight him. "Help will be waiting for you once you get back to the real world. The exit is just beyond this room. I wish I could take you there but I have to deal with him first. I'll meet up with you outside—in the real world—again. I still have a promise to keep, after all." he gave me one last look and then shouted, "Go!"

I didn't know why I followed his advice and didn't demand him to listen to me, but I ran to the back of the throne room where a door had materialized while he charged forward towards Undinogh—towards Number Two. As I ran, I studied the device Khadagh had handed me and I didn't look back or even stopped to watch how "Future Me" was doing. When I finally got to the exit, I had completely analyzed the device and I knew that I could recreate it as soon as I get out.

I took a deep breath as I touched the knob of the door, the simple, mahogany door that had the word "Exit" written on it. And then, I just opened it and stepped through.

* * *

"We don't have much time left, kids," An old man's voice was the first thing that I heard as I slowly regained consciousness, "This whole place is going to blow any second now. We have to run."

"But, dad, Daniel's not awake yet." a female voice said. "We can't leave until we're sure that he is out of The Game."

"He's out!" another voice, a male one, called from somewhere farther away.

"Okay, no use dilly-dallying," the older man said as I felt the straps on my wrist and my ankles being taken off before I was being hauled up and then over someone's shoulders. "Let's move, move, move!"

And then there was movement and shuffling of feet as the person carrying me and those that were with him raced past doors upon doors. I can tell that they were doors because I could hear the whoosh of them sliding open and closed along with a siren and a female recording that kept repeating the words "Warning: Code Red" over and over again.

_I wish I could find the snooze button for that_. I thought to myself. I didn't want to wake up yet. I felt so drained, so tired, that all I wanted to do was sleep a bit longer.

"The emergency craft is right around the corner," The old man said. "The others are already waiting for us there."

And that was the last thing I heard before I finally couldn't help myself and I ended up falling asleep again.

* * *

The next time I regained consciousness, I was lying flat on my back somewhere cold and hard. My mind was fuzzy and my vision still blurry. It was like I was looking at everything in a haze. I couldn't see much and neither could I understand what was going on.

It was dark and there was a bluish-light to the right, not too far from me. Around that light a couple of people were huddled together, talking in hushed voices. I could barely hear what they were saying, and the words I _did_ hear made no sense to me at that moment. To my left, I could feel that I wasn't the only one lying. The fact that there was a silhouette of another person lying next to me was proof of that.

But, I was still far too tired and so, in the end, I fell right back to sleep without saying anything. The last thought on my mind before I fell right back in the sea of unconsciousness was: _Where am I?_

* * *

There was a rhythmic, beeping sound. Sort of high-pitched and very, _very_ annoying. I wanted to reach out and turn the alarm off. I knew I was doing that, or at least, I think I was doing that but the sound didn't stop. The more I wanted to stop it, the louder it grew until, finally, I was awake.

I blinked a couple of times, my eyes adjusting to the light of the room. An off-white ceiling greeted me, followed by the prickling sensation on my arm. I pushed myself into a sitting position, looking around the room.

The room was painted with the same color as the ceiling. Two windows, both closed were behind white-colored curtains. An air conditioner kept the room in a comfortable temperature—not too hot, not too cold. There was a blue sofa on the other end of the room, opposite the bed I was lying in. To my right, where the beeping sounds were coming from, were a set of machines. One of them was a cardiac monitor, its wires attached to me. Then there was also an IV, which was also attached to me.

I looked down at myself. I was wearing a hospital gown. And bandages. Lots of bandages.

That was when it came back to me. The Game. Void—Khadagh. My _drang_. And a wave of nausea hit me that I had to stop and take calming breaths while my head rested on my hand. Too many questions came in my mind: how did I get here? What happened? Where is 'here' exactly? These questions did nothing to ease the threat of a headache coming my way.

_So much for keeping calm..._

Just then the door to my room opened and a man stepped in.

He was clean-shaven and had his black hair was combed neatly. His eyes, which were also a shade of black, with wrinkles underneath them, widen when he saw me. But the shock was, as quickly as it came, replaced with a look of relief and happiness. There was something about this middle-aged man that reminded me of someone, but I couldn't remember who exactly.

"You're finally awake, that's good." Even the man's voice was familiar. I couldn't shake the feeling that I have met him somewhere before... "We were all pretty worried about you, Daniel."

I frowned, "I'm sorry but...who are you? Have we met before? More importantly, where am I? What happened?"

The man laughed as he walked towards me, dragging a chair with him before settling it beside my bed and sitting on it. "One question at a time, kiddo."

"Fine then, where am I?"

"You're in the International Medical Center of Japan, in Shinjuku," was the man's calm answer. "We took you here as soon as we landed since this was the closest hospital. We could have just taken you to a hotel to allow you to rest up and heal on your own, but my wife, Graciella, said it would be best to use a hospital's facility to ensure that you are on your way to recovery. You've been asleep for a week."

"I was what?" I couldn't believe what I just heard. "Are you serious?"

The man nodded, "It's quite understandable. The Game has taken quite a toll at you, Daniel. I was even expecting you to not regain consciousness until next week, at the latest. To see that you are awake now is only proof of how strong you are."

"Wait, if you know about the game then you know about Khadagh—Void—too. Where is he? Is he here?" I asked, he still had a lot of questions to answer.

"Ah, no. Unfortunately, we haven't seen him or heard from him since we blew the station up," the man replied.

"You did what?" my voice rose an octave higher.

"Don't worry, Daniel. We blew it up because that's what he instructed us to do. It was a way to make sure that the other alien outlaws would not be able to trace us. That they would not be able to trace _you_. Hence, it would give us time to prepare."

"Prepare? Prepare for what?"

"For when the Number Two of our time and The Prayer strikes back," the man answered, "I can assure you that they would not be too happy to learn that they had been tricked."

I frowned, "How do you know so much about these things? Who are you? I have this strange feeling that I've met you before..."

The man smiled, "I could imagine why, after all, you are friends with my children."

"Your...children?"

As if on cue, the door flew open and I could hear the sounds of people arguing. And then, I saw a sight that I thought I would never see. Or maybe I should say that I saw people I thought I would never see. The surprise on Emma, Willy, and Joe's faces were nothing compared to the look I had on my face when I saw them enter my hospital room, wearing casual clothing that they probably got from one of the shops here in Shinjuku and a few bandages.

"Daniel!" They exclaimed in unison as they rushed to my bed-side.

I looked at them, unsure of what was going on. "Are my powers going haywire again?"

"Don't be silly. Your powers had never been stable as it is now," Joe said as he looked from me to his Symbiote computer and, as if to prove a point, showed me a chart of some sort with numbers and percentages. Smart as I may be, I have no idea what he just showed me.

"They're real, Daniel," the man said, "As real as you."

"B-but I saw you guys get erased by Kha-Void!" I didn't dare believe what the man had said.

"And you figured that we were nothing more than his creations," Emma finished for me.

"Hate to break it to you, but we're not." Willy chimed in. "Dad can attest to that." then he jerked his thumb at the man sitting on the iron chair. And that's when it hit me. The reason why he looked familiar. It was like looking at a middle-aged version of Willy.

Willy's dad nodded, "That story they told you about being kidnapped, escaping and then landing at the palms of Void's hands is true. That's what really happened. I couldn't believe it myself when Void came to look for me and my wife and asked us to help him find Ergent Seth and the kids."

"Mom and dad are sensor-types," Emma explained.

"Quite useful to have if you're trying to find someone or something," Joe nodded. His face then lit up, as if he remembered something. "Oh, yeah...here." he handed me the disks we had gotten from The Game, "I still haven't found a way to be able to read the contents of those disks, though. Just thought you might want to have them."

I nodded, "I know something that can help with that." I frowned then asked, "Where's Dana?"

Joe looked at Willy who then looked at Emma before he spoke, "Ah...well...you see..."

The way they were acting and the way Joe was speaking made my heart pound harder in my chest and the color drain from my face. _Did something happen to Dana? _ Even before I could move farther with that thought a woman spoke.

"She's right here," the woman said. I followed the voice and saw what I guessed was Willy and Emma's mother, Graciella, and beside her, wearing a white summer dress with floral patterns was Dana.

"Aunt Graciella took me to a shop to buy a couple of clothes," Dana informed me as she walked towards me and the others who were all laughing.

"You should have seen the look on your face, man!" Willy howled. I've never seen this side of him in The Game before. Then again, he was a very troubled Alparian thinking about survival and saving the lives of his parents. "You looked like you were going to have a heart attack."

"Yeah," even Joe was having a good time at my expense.

"I'm sorry about that, Daniel," Emma said, but even she was trying hard not to laugh. "But it was just too good to pass up."

I shook my head, then looked at Dana and smiled as I said the only greeting that came to mind, "Hey."

"Hey," she smiled back.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

****There will be one more chapter-an Epilogue chapter-after this. The Epilogue chapter will be more of a bridge between this fanfic and the sequel-which I had decided to write. I know it's not much of a chapter compared to the previous ones I have uploaded this week but, well, it is what it is. I still hope you guys enjoy it! Don't forget to review! :)


	40. Epilogue

**A Daniel X Fanfiction **

**by Sakura Martinez**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

This is it.

**Be sure to read the Post Author's Note section.**

Enjoy! :)

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Daniel X, or the characters in that story. James Patterson own the rights for them. What I do own is the idea of this fanfic.

* * *

**Summary:**

Daniel has long accepted what has happened to his friends Dana, Willy, Emma and Joe. But when he is suddenly ambushed by Number 2's second-in-command, Number 13, the young Alien Hunter finds a big surprise waiting for him.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over**

**Epilogue**

* * *

I thanked the street food vendor as I took my purchases with me and walked back to the bench where Dana sat, waiting for me. It had been a couple of days since I was discharged from the hospital. My wounds were healing and the scars from The Game were fading.

It was still hard to believe that I got my friends—my _drang_—back; that they were as real and as alive as I was. And that we were all together again.

When the shocking truth of what Void—of what Khadagh—truly was after hit me, I had resigned myself to the fact that Emma, Willy, Joe, and Dana were long dead. I had given up hope that everything I have come to learn about them in The Game was the truth, that they were truly alive. Even when he seemed unfazed when I said that Joe had the disks, I still couldn't bring myself to hope.

But, they are all alive and they are all here with me. To say that I am in cloud-nine would be an understatement.

I was still smiling when I got to the bench, sat down, and handed Dana her drink.

"You should stop smiling like that or people might think you're crazy," Dana said before sipping her drink.

I grinned at her, "I can't really help it."

Silence enveloped us as Dana and I settled comfortably beside each other. We let the sounds from the park drift in the backdrop as we watched the children running around and playing, couples walking around holding hands and smiling at each other, families with picnic baskets looking for a place to settle down, old people feeding pigeons or reading newspapers, or talking with others. It was a relaxing and happy sight—one that most people take for granted.

"So this is what Terra Firma is like," Dana said. "That is what humans are like."

"For the most part, yeah..." I answered before taking a sip out of my own drink.

It didn't take long for Dana, Willy, Emma, and Joe—as well as Willy and Emma's parents: Windsor and Graciella—to adapt to human society. To tell the truth, they were already well-adapted when I woke up in the hospital. I guess that's one of the survival instincts that we Alparians possess. Adaptation.

"You're thinking about the recordings, aren't you?" Dana suddenly asked me, turning to look at me.

"Not really. But now that you've mentioned it...well, just a little bit. You?"

She nodded. Even though I said that, it was impossible not to let my mind drift to the recordings that Khadagh left for us. The recordings that were the contents of the disks we found in the game. The recordings that held the story behind Khadagh and The Game—among other things.

"I'm trying not to think too much about it, though," she added as an after-thought. "After all, Aunt Graciella and Uncle Windsor told us to take it easy and enjoy ourselves before—"

"I know," I cut her off before she could say anything. "And that's what we're doing—or, at least, what we're trying to do."

"Aren't you the least bit worried, Daniel?"

"Of course I am, but worrying about something before it happens can't be good," I answered. It was an answer that earned me a raised eyebrow.

"How long do you think we have?"

I looked at her and grinned, "Why, Dana...could it be that you're on your way to asking Khadagh for more time with me?"

The answer to that question was a punch to my arm followed by a "Shut up!". That was, before she snuggled closer to me and rested her head on my shoulder. It was strange being with Dana like this. A good kind of strange, though.

Neither of us had said anything about what had happened in The Game, particularly that kiss she gave me at the end. We didn't talk about where our relationship was at the moment. We sort of just got together, and like always, we didn't need words for that. Though Dana being able to read my mind and I being able to read hers probably helped.

I didn't question how we ended up together, and neither did the rest of the _drang_ who let Dana and I go out for that day. It was Emma who muttered what everyone was thinking, "It's about time," as Dana and I left for the park just a few hours before. And maybe it was about time, who knows? All I knew was I was content to just be with her. After all, if you found out that your friends were real and alive after years of spending your time by yourself and your creations, after a couple of months of believing that they were dead, even you would be content with something as simple as that person's presence.

I smiled at that thought as I twirled my fingers around her hair and she breathed a sigh.

The Game might be over, but the battle was only just beginning.

But for now, for that moment, we could pretend that we were ordinary teenagers. That we have more time for that normalcy that humans take for granted. Even though we weren't just teenagers and we didn't have more time.

* * *

**Daniel X: Game Over **

**The End**

* * *

**Post Author's Notes:**

And so this fanfic comes to an end.

It had been an awesome journey, writing this story from scratch and out of the impatience in waiting for the actual book, and then out of frustration that when the book _did_ come out, it wasn't as good as the previous one.

I know some people might not be too happy with how this ended but, as short as the epilogue chapter is, I can assure you that this is not the end of this particular 'saga'. I have, after all, decided to write a sequel, hence the ending that we have.

I can't say much I am thankful for those who read this, especially the people who took the time to review (**Flame the Reaper**, **Randomfan1235**, **mnmwriter138**, **BoBoBaNaNa**, **r.l.m**, **Fanficitonaddict**, **bookgirl39**, **Bob**, and the anonymous reviewer 'unknown'. XD). Of course, I would also like to give a special thank you to both **XxhoneyleafxX** and **SoMa-NaruHina** who had both given me interesting reviews that made me smile and made my day that much brighter.

I know that there are a couple of things not answered in this fanfic, particularly the disks-The Terminal Disks-that Daniel and the _drang_ found on the Safe Zones. No, I didn't forget them. I have written three chapters that you can exclusively read on my blog (check my profile for link) and I would probably write a couple more special chapters for this fanfic on my blog before I release the sequel which I have decided to give the title '**Daniel X: Out of Time**'. I'm not really sure _when_ I will be releasing this sequel, though...probably next month at the earliest.

Well, with that said, it is time to close this particular 'book' and look forward to the future. Thank you once again for taking time to read this fanfic and I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Until the next fanfic! Ciao!


End file.
